Activation of grant-free transmission

ABSTRACT

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for wireless communications. A base station may send a message to a wireless device to activate grant-free uplink transmissions for a non-activated cell. The wireless device may receive the message and activate a previously non-activated cell.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 16/100,974, filed Aug. 10, 2018, which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/543,829, titled“Activation of Grant-Free Transmission” and filed on Aug. 10, 2017, thedisclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND

In wireless communications, a plurality of categories of services may beprovided. These categories may comprise evolved mobile broadband (eMBB),ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC), and massivemachine-type communications (mMTC).

SUMMARY

The following summary presents a simplified summary of certain features.The summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identifykey or critical elements.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for communicationsassociated with one or more categories of services, such asultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC). For example, URLLC mayhave stringent requirements on latency and reliability. URLLC trafficmay be sporadic or periodic and packet sizes of URLLC traffic may dependon time and may vary in different transmissions. A wireless device maynot finish an uplink (UL) transmission within the resources allocated bya base station. Different requirements for URLLC may necessitate adifferent treatment of URLLC traffic, such as the varying packet sizesof URLLC may require a flexible radio resource allocation that mayreflect the change of packet size. A grant-free (GF) radio resource poolmay be used, e.g., to allocate exclusive or partially overlapped one ormore radio resources for GF UL transmissions in a cell or to organizefrequency/time reuse between different cells or parts of a cell.

These and other features and advantages are described in greater detailbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some features are shown by way of example, and not by limitation, in theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings, like numerals reference similarelements.

FIG. 1 shows example sets of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(OFDM) subcarriers.

FIG. 2 shows example transmission time and reception time for twocarriers in a carrier group.

FIG. 3 shows example OFDM radio resources.

FIG. 4 shows hardware elements of a base station and a wireless device.

FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, FIG. 5C and FIG. 5D show examples for uplink anddownlink signal transmission.

FIG. 6 shows an example protocol structure with multi-connectivity.

FIG. 7 shows an example protocol structure with carrier aggregation (CA)and dual connectivity (DC).

FIG. 8 shows example timing advance group (TAG) configurations.

FIG. 9 shows example message flow in a random access process in asecondary TAG.

FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B show examples for interfaces between a 5G corenetwork and base stations.

FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, FIG. 11D, FIG. 11E, and FIG. 11F showexamples for architectures of tight interworking between 5G RAN and longterm evolution (LTE) radio access network (RAN).

FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B, and FIG. 12C show examples for radio protocolstructures of tight interworking bearers.

FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B show examples for gNodeB (gNB) deployment.

FIG. 14 shows functional split option examples of a centralized gNBdeployment.

FIG. 15 is an example of an activation of GF UL transmission via RRCrelease and re-configuration when a time alignment timer expires.

FIG. 16 is an example of an activation of GF UL transmission via L1activation signalling without RRC release when a time alignment timerexpires.

FIG. 17 is an example of an activation of GF UL transmission via a timealignment timer (TAT) without RRC release, RRC re-configuration, or L1activation signaling when a time alignment timer expires.

FIG. 18 is an example of an activation of a secondary cell.

FIG. 19 is an example of monitoring uplink radio resources using a basestation.

FIG. 20 is an example of activating uplink radio resources using awireless device.

FIG. 21 shows example elements of a computing device and/or a basestation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, show examples ofthe disclosure. It is to be understood that the examples shown in thedrawings and/or discussed herein are non-exclusive and that there areother examples of how the disclosure may be practiced.

Examples may enable operation of carrier aggregation and may be employedin the technical field of multicarrier communication systems. Examplesmay relate to grant-free transmission in multicarrier communicationsystems.

The following acronyms are used throughout the present disclosure,provided below for convenience although other acronyms may be introducedin the detailed description:

-   3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project-   5G 5th generation wireless systems-   5GC 5G Core Network-   ACK Acknowledgement-   AMF Access and Mobility Management Function-   ASIC application-specific integrated circuit-   BPSK binary phase shift keying-   CA carrier aggregation-   CC component carrier-   CDMA code division multiple access-   CP cyclic prefix-   CPLD complex programmable logic devices-   CSI channel state information-   CSS common search space-   CU central unit-   DC dual connectivity-   DCI downlink control information-   DFTS-OFDM discrete Fourier transform spreading OFDM-   DL downlink-   DU distributed unit-   eLTE enhanced LTE-   eMBB enhanced mobile broadband-   eNB evolved Node B-   EPC evolved packet core-   E-UTRAN evolved-universal terrestrial radio access network-   FDD frequency division multiplexing-   FPGA field programmable gate arrays-   Fs-C Fs-control plane-   Fs-U Fs-user plane-   gNB next generation node B-   HARQ hybrid automatic repeat request-   HDL hardware description languages-   ID identifier-   IE information element-   LTE long term evolution-   MAC media access control-   MCG master cell group-   MeNB master evolved node B-   MIB master information block-   MME mobility management entity-   mMTC massive machine type communications-   NACK Negative Acknowledgement-   NAS non-access stratum-   NG CP next generation control plane core-   NGC next generation core-   NG-C NG-control plane-   NG-U NG-user plane-   NR MAC new radio MAC-   NR PDCP new radio PDCP-   NR PHY new radio physical-   NR RLC new radio RLC-   NR RRC new radio RRC-   NR new radio-   NSSAI network slice selection assistance information-   OFDM orthogonal frequency division multiplexing-   PCC primary component carrier-   PCell primary cell-   PDCCH physical downlink control channel-   PDCP packet data convergence protocol-   PDU packet data unit-   PHICH physical HARQ indicator channel-   PHY physical-   PLMN public land mobile network-   PSCell primary secondary cell-   pTAG primary timing advance group-   PUCCH physical uplink control channel-   PUSCH physical uplink shared channel-   QAM quadrature amplitude modulation-   QPSK quadrature phase shift keying-   RA random access-   RACH random access channel-   RAN radio access network-   RAP random access preamble-   RAR random access response-   RB resource blocks-   RBG resource block groups-   RLC radio link control-   RRC radio resource control-   RRM radio resource management-   RV redundancy version-   SCC secondary component carrier-   SCell secondary cell-   SCG secondary cell group-   SC-OFDM single carrier-OFDM-   SDU service data unit-   SeNB secondary evolved node B-   SFN system frame number-   S-GW serving gateway-   SIB system information block-   SC-OFDM single carrier orthogonal frequency division multiplexing-   SRB signaling radio bearer-   sTAG(s) secondary timing advance group(s)-   TA timing advance-   TAG timing advance group-   TAI tracking area identifier-   TAT time alignment timer-   TDD time division duplexing-   TDMA time division multiple access-   TTI transmission time interval-   TB transport block-   UE user equipment-   UL uplink-   UPGW user plane gateway-   URLLC ultra-reliable low-latency communications-   VHDL VHSIC hardware description language-   Xn-C Xn-control plane-   Xn-U Xn-user plane-   Xx-C Xx-control plane-   Xx-U Xx-user plane

Examples may be implemented using various physical layer modulation andtransmission mechanisms. Example transmission mechanisms may include,but are not limited to: CDMA, OFDM, TDMA, Wavelet technologies, and/orthe like. Hybrid transmission mechanisms such as TDMA/CDMA, andOFDM/CDMA may also be employed. Various modulation schemes may beapplied for signal transmission in the physical layer. Examples ofmodulation schemes include, but are not limited to: phase, amplitude,code, a combination of these, and/or the like. An example radiotransmission method may implement QAM using BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM,256-QAM, and/or the like. Physical radio transmission may be enhanced bydynamically or semi-dynamically changing the modulation and codingscheme depending on transmission requirements and radio conditions.

FIG. 1 shows example sets of OFDM subcarriers. As shown in this example,arrow(s) in the diagram may depict a subcarrier in a multicarrier OFDMsystem. The OFDM system may use technology such as OFDM technology,DFTS-OFDM, SC-OFDM technology, or the like. For example, arrow 101 showsa subcarrier transmitting information symbols. FIG. 1 is shown as anexample, and a typical multicarrier OFDM system may include moresubcarriers in a carrier. For example, the number of subcarriers in acarrier may be in the range of 10 to 10,000 subcarriers. FIG. 1 showstwo guard bands 106 and 107 in a transmission band. As shown in FIG. 1,guard band 106 is between subcarriers 103 and subcarriers 104. Theexample set of subcarriers A 102 includes subcarriers 103 andsubcarriers 104. FIG. 1 also shows an example set of subcarriers B 105.As shown, there is no guard band between any two subcarriers in theexample set of subcarriers B 105. Carriers in a multicarrier OFDMcommunication system may be contiguous carriers, non-contiguouscarriers, or a combination of both contiguous and non-contiguouscarriers.

FIG. 2 shows an example with transmission time and reception time fortwo carriers. A multicarrier OFDM communication system may include oneor more carriers, for example, ranging from 1 to 10 carriers. Carrier A204 and carrier B 205 may have the same or different timing structures.Although FIG. 2 shows two synchronized carriers, carrier A 204 andcarrier B 205 may or may not be synchronized with each other. Differentradio frame structures may be supported for FDD and TDD duplexmechanisms. FIG. 2 shows an example FDD frame timing. Downlink anduplink transmissions may be organized into radio frames 201. In thisexample, radio frame duration is 10 milliseconds (msec). Other framedurations, for example, in the range of 1 to 100 msec may also besupported. In this example, each 10 msec radio frame 201 may be dividedinto ten equally sized subframes 202. Other subframe durations such asincluding 0.5 msec, 1 msec, 2 msec, and 5 msec may also be supported.Subframe(s) may consist of two or more slots (e.g., slots 206 and 207).For the example of FDD, 10 subframes may be available for downlinktransmission and 10 subframes may be available for uplink transmissionsin each 10 msec interval. Uplink and downlink transmissions may beseparated in the frequency domain. A slot may be 7 or 14 OFDM symbolsfor the same subcarrier spacing of up to 60 kHz with normal CP. A slotmay be 14 OFDM symbols for the same subcarrier spacing higher than 60kHz with normal CP. A slot may include all downlink, all uplink, or adownlink part and an uplink part, and/or alike. Slot aggregation may besupported, e.g., data transmission may be scheduled to span one ormultiple slots. For example, a mini-slot may start at an OFDM symbol ina subframe. A mini-slot may have a duration of one or more OFDM symbols.Slot(s) may include a plurality of OFDM symbols 203. The number of OFDMsymbols 203 in a slot 206 may depend on the cyclic prefix length andsubcarrier spacing.

FIG. 3 shows an example of OFDM radio resources. The resource gridstructure in time 304 and frequency 305 is shown in FIG. 3. The quantityof downlink subcarriers or RBs may depend, at least in part, on thedownlink transmission bandwidth 306 configured in the cell. The smallestradio resource unit may be called a resource element (e.g., 301).Resource elements may be grouped into resource blocks (e.g., 302).Resource blocks may be grouped into larger radio resources calledResource Block Groups (RBG) (e.g., 303). The transmitted signal in slot206 may be described by one or several resource grids of a plurality ofsubcarriers and a plurality of OFDM symbols. Resource blocks may be usedto describe the mapping of certain physical channels to resourceelements. Other pre-defined groupings of physical resource elements maybe implemented in the system depending on the radio technology. Forexample, 24 subcarriers may be grouped as a radio block for a durationof 5 msec. A resource block may correspond to one slot in the timedomain and 180 kHz in the frequency domain (for 15 kHz subcarrierbandwidth and 12 subcarriers).

Multiple numerologies may be supported. A numerology may be derived byscaling a basic subcarrier spacing by an integer N. Scalable numerologymay allow at least from 15 kHz to 480 kHz subcarrier spacing. Thenumerology with 15 kHz and scaled numerology with different subcarrierspacing with the same CP overhead may align at a symbol boundary every 1msec in a NR carrier.

FIG. 4 shows hardware elements of a base station 401 and a wirelessdevice 406. A communication network 400 may include at least one basestation 401 and at least one wireless device 406. The base station 401may include at least one communication interface 402, one or moreprocessors 403, and at least one set of program code instructions 405stored in non-transitory memory 404 and executable by the one or moreprocessors 403. The wireless device 406 may include at least onecommunication interface 407, one or more processors 408, and at leastone set of program code instructions 410 stored in non-transitory memory409 and executable by the one or more processors 408. A communicationinterface 402 in the base station 401 may be configured to engage incommunication with a communication interface 407 in the wireless device406, such as via a communication path that includes at least onewireless link 411. The wireless link 411 may be a bi-directional link.The communication interface 407 in the wireless device 406 may also beconfigured to engage in communication with the communication interface402 in the base station 401. The base station 401 and the wirelessdevice 406 may be configured to send and receive data over the wirelesslink 411 using multiple frequency carriers. Base stations, wirelessdevices, and other communication devices may include structure andoperations of transceiver(s). A transceiver is a device that includesboth a transmitter and receiver. Transceivers may be employed in devicessuch as wireless devices, base stations, relay nodes, and/or the like.Examples for radio technology implemented in the communicationinterfaces 402, 407 and the wireless link 411 are shown in FIG. 1, FIG.2, FIG. 3, FIG. 5, and associated text. The communication network 400may comprise any number and/or type of devices, such as, for example,computing devices, wireless devices, mobile devices, handsets, tablets,laptops, internet of things (IoT) devices, hotspots, cellular repeaters,computing devices, and/or, more generally, user equipment (e.g., UE).Although one or more of the above types of devices may be referencedherein (e.g., UE, wireless device, computing device, etc.), it should beunderstood that any device herein may comprise any one or more of theabove types of devices or similar devices. The communication network400, and any other network referenced herein, may comprise an LTEnetwork, a 5G network, or any other network for wireless communications.Apparatuses, systems, and/or methods described herein may generally bedescribed as implemented on one or more devices (e.g., wireless device,base station, eNB, gNB, computing device, etc.), in one or morenetworks, but it will be understood that one or more features and stepsmay be implemented on any device and/or in any network. As usedthroughout, the term “base station” may comprise one or more of: a basestation, a node, a Node B, a gNB, an eNB, an ng-eNB, a relay node (e.g.,an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node), a donor node (e.g., adonor eNB, a donor gNB, etc.), an access point (e.g., a WiFi accesspoint), a computing device, a device capable of wirelesslycommunicating, or any other device capable of sending and/or receivingsignals. As used throughout, the term “wireless device” may comprise oneor more of: a UE, a handset, a mobile device, a computing device, anode, a device capable of wirelessly communicating, or any other devicecapable of sending and/or receiving signals. Any reference to one ormore of these terms/devices also considers use of any other term/devicementioned above.

The communications network 400 may comprise Radio Access Network (RAN)architecture. The RAN architecture may comprise one or more RAN nodesthat may be a next generation Node B (gNB) (e.g., 401) providing NewRadio (NR) user plane and control plane protocol terminations towards afirst wireless device (e.g. 406). A RAN node may be a next generationevolved Node B (ng-eNB), providing Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access(E-UTRA) user plane and control plane protocol terminations towards asecond wireless device. The first wireless device may communicate with agNB over a Uu interface. The second wireless device may communicate witha ng-eNB over a Uu interface. Base station 401 may comprise one or moreof a gNB, ng-eNB, and/or the like.

A gNB or an ng-eNB may host functions such as: radio resource managementand scheduling, IP header compression, encryption and integrityprotection of data, selection of Access and Mobility Management Function(AMF) at User Equipment (UE) attachment, routing of user plane andcontrol plane data, connection setup and release, scheduling andtransmission of paging messages (originated from the AMF), schedulingand transmission of system broadcast information (originated from theAMF or Operation and Maintenance (O&M)), measurement and measurementreporting configuration, transport level packet marking in the uplink,session management, support of network slicing, Quality of Service (QoS)flow management and mapping to data radio bearers, support of wirelessdevices in RRC_INACTIVE state, distribution function for Non-AccessStratum (NAS) messages, RAN sharing, and dual connectivity or tightinterworking between NR and E-UTRA.

One or more gNBs and/or one or more ng-eNBs may be interconnected witheach other by means of Xn interface. A gNB or an ng-eNB may be connectedby means of NG interfaces to 5G Core Network (5GC). 5GC may comprise oneor more AMF/User Plane Function (UPF) functions. A gNB or an ng-eNB maybe connected to a UPF by means of an NG-User plane (NG-U) interface. TheNG-U interface may provide delivery (e.g., non-guaranteed delivery) ofuser plane Protocol Data Units (PDUs) between a RAN node and the UPF. AgNB or an ng-eNB may be connected to an AMF by means of an NG-Controlplane (e.g., NG-C) interface. The NG-C interface may provide functionssuch as NG interface management, UE context management, UE mobilitymanagement, transport of NAS messages, paging, PDU session management,configuration transfer or warning message transmission.

A UPF may host functions such as anchor point for intra-/inter-RadioAccess Technology (RAT) mobility (if applicable), external PDU sessionpoint of interconnect to data network, packet routing and forwarding,packet inspection and user plane part of policy rule enforcement,traffic usage reporting, uplink classifier to support routing trafficflows to a data network, branching point to support multi-homed PDUsession, QoS handling for user plane, e.g. packet filtering, gating,Uplink (UL)/Downlink (DL) rate enforcement, uplink traffic verification(e.g. Service Data Flow (SDF) to QoS flow mapping), downlink packetbuffering and/or downlink data notification triggering.

An AMF may host functions such as NAS signaling termination, NASsignaling security, Access Stratum (AS) security control, inter CoreNetwork (CN) node signaling for mobility between 3^(rd) GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP) access networks, idle mode UE reachability(e.g., control and execution of paging retransmission), registrationarea management, support of intra-system and inter-system mobility,access authentication, access authorization including check of roamingrights, mobility management control (subscription and policies), supportof network slicing and/or Session Management Function (SMF) selection

An interface may be a hardware interface, a firmware interface, asoftware interface, and/or a combination thereof. The hardware interfacemay include connectors, wires, electronic devices such as drivers,amplifiers, and/or the like. A software interface may include codestored in a memory device to implement protocol(s), protocol layers,communication drivers, device drivers, combinations thereof, and/or thelike. A firmware interface may include a combination of embeddedhardware and code stored in and/or in communication with a memory deviceto implement connections, electronic device operations, protocol(s),protocol layers, communication drivers, device drivers, hardwareoperations, combinations thereof, and/or the like.

The term configured may relate to the capacity of a device whether thedevice is in an operational or a non-operational state. Configured mayalso refer to specific settings in a device that effect the operationalcharacteristics of the device whether the device is in an operational ora non-operational state. In other words, the hardware, software,firmware, registers, memory values, and/or the like may be “configured”within a device, whether the device is in an operational or anonoperational state, to provide the device with specificcharacteristics. Terms such as “a control message to cause in a device”may mean that a control message has parameters that may be used toconfigure specific characteristics in the device, whether the device isin an operational or a non-operational state.

A 5G network may include a multitude of base stations, providing a userplane NR PDCP/NR RLC/NR MAC/NR PHY and control plane (NR RRC) protocolterminations towards the wireless device. The base station(s) may beinterconnected with other base station(s) (e.g., employing an Xninterface). The base stations may also be connected employing, forexample, an NG interface to an NGC. FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B show examplesfor interfaces between a 5G core network (e.g., NGC) and base stations(e.g., gNB and eLTE eNB). For example, the base stations may beinterconnected to the NGC control plane (e.g., NG CP) employing the NG-Cinterface and to the NGC user plane (e.g., UPGW) employing the NG-Uinterface. The NG interface may support a many-to-many relation between5G core networks and base stations.

A base station may include many sectors, for example: 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6sectors. A base station may include many cells, for example, rangingfrom 1 to 50 cells or more. A cell may be categorized, for example, as aprimary cell or secondary cell. At RRC connectionestablishment/re-establishment/handover, one serving cell may providethe NAS (non-access stratum) mobility information (e.g., TAI), and atRRC connection re-establishment/handover, one serving cell may providethe security input. This cell may be referred to as the Primary Cell(PCell). In the downlink, the carrier corresponding to the PCell may bethe Downlink Primary Component Carrier (DL PCC); in the uplink, thecarrier corresponding to the PCell may be the Uplink Primary ComponentCarrier (UL PCC). Depending on wireless device capabilities, SecondaryCells (SCells) may be configured to form together with the PCell a setof serving cells. In the downlink, the carrier corresponding to an SCellmay be a Downlink Secondary Component Carrier (DL SCC); in the uplink,the carrier corresponding to an SCell may be an Uplink SecondaryComponent Carrier (UL SCC). An SCell may or may not have an uplinkcarrier.

A cell, comprising a downlink carrier and optionally an uplink carrier,may be assigned a physical cell ID and a cell index. A carrier (downlinkor uplink) may belong to only one cell. The cell ID or cell index mayalso identify the downlink carrier or uplink carrier of the cell(depending on the context in which it is used). The cell ID may beequally referred to a carrier ID, and cell index may be referred tocarrier index. In implementation, the physical cell ID or cell index maybe assigned to a cell. A cell ID may be determined using asynchronization signal transmitted on a downlink carrier. A cell indexmay be determined using RRC messages. For example, reference to a firstphysical cell ID for a first downlink carrier may indicate that thefirst physical cell ID is for a cell comprising the first downlinkcarrier. The same concept may apply to, for example, carrier activation.Reference to a first carrier that is activated may indicate that thecell comprising the first carrier is activated.

A device may be configured to operate as needed by freely combining anyof the examples. The disclosed mechanisms may be performed if certaincriteria are met, for example, in a wireless device, a base station, aradio environment, a network, a combination of the above, and/or thelike. Example criteria may be based, at least in part, on for example,traffic load, initial system set up, packet sizes, trafficcharacteristics, a combination of the above, and/or the like. If the oneor more criteria are met, various examples may be applied. Therefore, itmay be possible to implement examples that selectively implementdisclosed protocols.

A base station may communicate with a variety of wireless devices.Wireless devices may support multiple technologies, and/or multiplereleases of the same technology. Wireless devices may have some specificcapability(ies) depending on its wireless device category and/orcapability(ies). A base station may comprise multiple sectors. Referenceto a base station communicating with a plurality of wireless devices mayindicate that a base station may communicate with a subset of the totalwireless devices in a coverage area. A plurality of wireless devices ofa given LTE or 5G release, with a given capability and in a given sectorof the base station, may be used. The plurality of wireless devices mayrefer to a selected plurality of wireless devices, and/or a subset oftotal wireless devices in a coverage area which perform according todisclosed methods, and/or the like. There may be a plurality of wirelessdevices in a coverage area that may not comply with the disclosedmethods, for example, because those wireless devices perform based onolder releases of LTE or 5G technology.

A base station may transmit (e.g., to a wireless device) one or moremessages (e.g. RRC messages) that may comprise a plurality ofconfiguration parameters for one or more cells. One or more cells maycomprise at least one primary cell and at least one secondary cell. AnRRC message may be broadcasted or unicasted to the wireless device.Configuration parameters may comprise common parameters and dedicatedparameters.

Services and/or functions of an RRC sublayer may comprise at least oneof: broadcast of system information related to AS and NAS; paginginitiated by 5GC and/or NG-RAN; establishment, maintenance, and/orrelease of an RRC connection between a wireless device and NG-RAN, whichmay comprise at least one of addition, modification and release ofcarrier aggregation; or addition, modification, and/or release of dualconnectivity in NR or between E-UTRA and NR. Services and/or functionsof an RRC sublayer may further comprise at least one of securityfunctions comprising key management; establishment, configuration,maintenance, and/or release of Signaling Radio Bearers (SRBs) and/orData Radio Bearers (DRBs); mobility functions which may comprise atleast one of a handover (e.g. intra NR mobility or inter-RAT mobility)and a context transfer; or a wireless device cell selection andreselection and control of cell selection and reselection. Servicesand/or functions of an RRC sublayer may further comprise at least one ofQoS management functions; a wireless device measurementconfiguration/reporting; detection of and/or recovery from radio linkfailure; or NAS message transfer to/from a core network entity (e.g.AMF, Mobility Management Entity (MME)) from/to the wireless device.

An RRC sublayer may support an RRC_Idle state, an RRC_Inactive stateand/or an RRC_Connected state for a wireless device. In an RRC_Idlestate, a wireless device may perform at least one of: Public Land MobileNetwork (PLMN) selection; receiving broadcasted system information; cellselection/re-selection; monitoring/receiving a paging for mobileterminated data initiated by 5GC; paging for mobile terminated data areamanaged by 5GC; or DRX for CN paging configured via NAS. In anRRC_Inactive state, a wireless device may perform at least one of:receiving broadcasted system information; cell selection/re-selection;monitoring/receiving a RAN/CN paging initiated by NG-RAN/5GC; RAN-basednotification area (RNA) managed by NG-RAN; or DRX for RAN/CN pagingconfigured by NG-RAN/NAS. In an RRC_Idle state of a wireless device, abase station (e.g. NG-RAN) may keep a 5GC-NG-RAN connection (bothC/U-planes) for the wireless device; and/or store a UE AS context forthe wireless device. In an RRC_Connected state of a wireless device, abase station (e.g. NG-RAN) may perform at least one of: establishment of5GC-NG-RAN connection (both C/U-planes) for the wireless device; storinga UE AS context for the wireless device; transmit/receive of unicastdata to/from the wireless device; or network-controlled mobility basedon measurement results received from the wireless device. In anRRC_Connected state of a wireless device, an NG-RAN may know a cell thatthe wireless device belongs to.

System information (SI) may be divided into minimum SI and other SI. Theminimum SI may be periodically broadcast. The minimum SI may comprisebasic information required for initial access and information foracquiring any other SI broadcast periodically or provisioned on-demand,i.e. scheduling information. The other SI may either be broadcast, or beprovisioned in a dedicated manner, either triggered by a network or uponrequest from a wireless device. A minimum SI may be transmitted via twodifferent downlink channels using different messages (e.g.MasterInformationBlock and SystemInformationBlockType1). The other SImay be transmitted via SystemInformationBlockType2. For a wirelessdevice in an RRC_Connected state, dedicated RRC signaling may beemployed for the request and delivery of the other SI. For the wirelessdevice in the RRC_Idle state and/or the RRC_Inactive state, the requestmay trigger a random-access procedure.

A wireless device may report its radio access capability informationwhich may be static. A base station may request what capabilities for awireless device to report based on band information. If allowed by anetwork, a temporary capability restriction request may be sent by thewireless device to signal the limited availability of some capabilities(e.g. due to hardware sharing, interference or overheating) to the basestation. The base station may confirm or reject the request. Thetemporary capability restriction may be transparent to 5GC (e.g., staticcapabilities may be stored in 5GC).

If CA is configured, a wireless device may have an RRC connection with anetwork. At RRC connection establishment/re-establishment/handoverprocedure, one serving cell may provide NAS mobility information, and atRRC connection re-establishment/handover, one serving cell may provide asecurity input. This cell may be referred to as the PCell. Depending onthe capabilities of the wireless device, SCells may be configured toform together with the PCell a set of serving cells. The configured setof serving cells for the wireless device may comprise one PCell and oneor more SCells.

The reconfiguration, addition and removal of SCells may be performed byRRC. At intra-NR handover, RRC may also add, remove, or reconfigureSCells for usage with the target PCell. If adding a new SCell, dedicatedRRC signaling may be employed to send all required system information ofthe SCell. In connected mode, wireless devices may not need to acquirebroadcasted system information directly from the SCells.

The purpose of an RRC connection reconfiguration procedure may be tomodify an RRC connection, (e.g. to establish, modify and/or release RBs,to perform handover, to setup, modify, and/or release measurements, toadd, modify, and/or release SCells and cell groups). As part of the RRCconnection reconfiguration procedure, NAS dedicated information may betransferred from the network to the wireless device. TheRRCConnectionReconfiguration message may be a command to modify an RRCconnection. It may convey information for measurement configuration,mobility control, radio resource configuration (e.g. RBs, MAC mainconfiguration and physical channel configuration) comprising anyassociated dedicated NAS information and security configuration. If thereceived RRC Connection Reconfiguration message includes thesCellToReleaseList, the wireless device may perform an SCell release. Ifthe received RRC Connection Reconfiguration message includes thesCellToAddModList, the wireless device may perform SCell additions ormodification.

An RRC connection establishment (or reestablishment, resume) proceduremay be to establish (or reestablish, resume) an RRC connection. An RRCconnection establishment procedure may comprise SRB1 establishment. TheRRC connection establishment procedure may be used to transfer theinitial NAS dedicated information message from a wireless device toE-UTRAN. The RRCConnectionReestablishment message may be used tore-establish SRB1.

A measurement report procedure may be to transfer measurement resultsfrom a wireless device to NG-RAN. The wireless device may initiate ameasurement report procedure, e.g., after successful securityactivation. A measurement report message may be employed to transmitmeasurement results.

FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, FIG. 5C, and FIG. 5D show examples for uplink anddownlink signal transmission. FIG. 5A shows an example for an uplinkphysical channel. The baseband signal representing the physical uplinkshared channel may be processed according to the following processes,which may be performed by structures described below. While thesestructures and corresponding functions are shown as examples, it isanticipated that other structures and/or functions may be implemented invarious examples. The structures and corresponding functions maycomprise, e.g., one or more scrambling devices 501A and 501B configuredto perform scrambling of coded bits in each of the codewords to betransmitted on a physical channel; one or more modulation mappers 502Aand 502B configured to perform modulation of scrambled bits to generatecomplex-valued symbols; a layer mapper 503 configured to perform mappingof the complex-valued modulation symbols onto one or severaltransmission layers; one or more transform precoders 504A and 504B togenerate complex-valued symbols; a precoding device 505 configured toperform precoding of the complex-valued symbols; one or more resourceelement mappers 506A and 506B configured to perform mapping of precodedcomplex-valued symbols to resource elements; one or more signalgenerators 507A and 507B configured to perform the generation of acomplex-valued time-domain DFTS-OFDM/SC-FDMA signal for each antennaport; and/or the like.

Example modulation and up-conversion to the carrier frequency of thecomplex-valued DFTS-OFDM/SC-FDMA baseband signal for each antenna portand/or the complex-valued physical random access channel (PRACH)baseband signal is shown in FIG. 5B. For example, the baseband signal,represented as s₁(t), may be split, by a signal splitter 510, into realand imaginary components, Re{s₁(t)} and Im{s₁(t)}, respectively. Thereal component may be modulated by a modulator 511A, and the imaginarycomponent may be modulated by a modulator 511B. The output signal of themodulator 511A and the output signal of the modulator 511B may be mixedby a mixer 512. The output signal of the mixer 512 may be input to afiltering device 513, and filtering may be employed by the filteringdevice 513 prior to transmission.

An example structure for downlink transmissions is shown in FIG. 5C. Thebaseband signal representing a downlink physical channel may beprocessed by the following processes, which may be performed bystructures described below. While these structures and correspondingfunctions are shown as examples, it is anticipated that other structuresand/or functions may be implemented in various examples. The structuresand corresponding functions may comprise, e.g., one or more scramblingdevices 531A and 531B configured to perform scrambling of coded bits ineach of the codewords to be transmitted on a physical channel; one ormore modulation mappers 532A and 532B configured to perform modulationof scrambled bits to generate complex-valued modulation symbols; a layermapper 533 configured to perform mapping of the complex-valuedmodulation symbols onto one or several transmission layers; a precodingdevice 534 configured to perform precoding of the complex-valuedmodulation symbols on each layer for transmission on the antenna ports;one or more resource element mappers 535A and 535B configured to performmapping of complex-valued modulation symbols for each antenna port toresource elements; one or more OFDM signal generators 536A and 536Bconfigured to perform the generation of complex-valued time-domain OFDMsignal for each antenna port; and/or the like.

Example modulation and up-conversion to the carrier frequency of thecomplex-valued OFDM baseband signal for each antenna port is shown inFIG. 5D. For example, the baseband signal, represented as s₁ ^((p))(t),may be split, by a signal splitter 520, into real and imaginarycomponents, Re{s₁ ^((p))(t)} and Im{s₁ ^((p))(t)}, respectively. Thereal component may be modulated by a modulator 521A, and the imaginarycomponent may be modulated by a modulator 521B. The output signal of themodulator 521A and the output signal of the modulator 521B may be mixedby a mixer 522. The output signal of the mixer 522 may be input to afiltering device 523, and filtering may be employed by the filteringdevice 523 prior to transmission.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show examples for protocol structures with CA andmulti-connectivity. In FIG. 6, NR may support multi-connectivityoperation, whereby a multiple receiver/transmitter (RX/TX) wirelessdevice in RRC_CONNECTED may be configured to utilize radio resourcesprovided by multiple schedulers located in multiple gNBs connected via anon-ideal or ideal backhaul over the Xn interface. gNBs involved inmulti-connectivity for a certain wireless device may assume twodifferent roles: a gNB may either act as a master gNB (e.g., 600) or asa secondary gNB (e.g., 610 or 620). In multi-connectivity, a wirelessdevice may be connected to one master gNB (e.g., 600) and one or moresecondary gNBs (e.g., 610 and/or 620). Any one or more of the Master gNB600 and/or the secondary gNBs 610 and 620 may be a Next Generation (NG)NodeB. The master gNB 600 may comprise protocol layers NR MAC 601, NRRLC 602 and 603, and NR PDCP 604 and 605. The secondary gNB may compriseprotocol layers NR MAC 611, NR RLC 612 and 613, and NR PDCP 614. Thesecondary gNB may comprise protocol layers NR MAC 621, NR RLC 622 and623, and NR PDCP 624. The master gNB 600 may communicate via aninterface 606 and/or via an interface 607, the secondary gNB 610 maycommunicate via an interface 615, and the secondary gNB 620 maycommunicate via an interface 625. The master gNB 600 may alsocommunicate with the secondary gNB 610 and the secondary gNB 621 viainterfaces 608 and 609, respectively, which may include Xn interfaces.For example, the master gNB 600 may communicate via the interface 608,at layer NR PDCP 605, and with the secondary gNB 610 at layer NR RLC612. The master gNB 600 may communicate via the interface 609, at layerNR PDCP 605, and with the secondary gNB 620 at layer NR RLC 622.

FIG. 7 shows an example structure for the UE side MAC entities, e.g., ifa Master Cell Group (MCG) and a Secondary Cell Group (SCG) areconfigured. Media Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) reception may beincluded but is not shown in this figure for simplicity.

In multi-connectivity, the radio protocol architecture that a particularbearer uses may depend on how the bearer is set up. As an example, threealternatives may exist, an MCG bearer, an SCG bearer, and a splitbearer, such as shown in FIG. 6. NR RRC may be located in a master gNBand SRBs may be configured as a MCG bearer type and may use the radioresources of the master gNB. Multi-connectivity may have at least onebearer configured to use radio resources provided by the secondary gNB.Multi-connectivity may or may not be configured or implemented.

For multi-connectivity, the wireless device may be configured withmultiple NR MAC entities: e.g., one NR MAC entity for a master gNB, andother NR MAC entities for secondary gNBs. In multi-connectivity, theconfigured set of serving cells for a wireless device may comprise twosubsets: e.g., the Master Cell Group (MCG) including the serving cellsof the master gNB, and the Secondary Cell Groups (SCGs) including theserving cells of the secondary gNBs.

At least one cell in a SCG may have a configured UL component carrier(CC) and one of the UL CCs, e.g., named PSCell (or PCell of SCG, orsometimes called PCell), may be configured with PUCCH resources. If theSCG is configured, there may be at least one SCG bearer or one splitbearer. If a physical layer problem or a random access problem on aPSCell occurs or is detected, if the maximum number of NR RLCretransmissions has been reached associated with the SCG, or if anaccess problem on a PSCell during a SCG addition or a SCG change occursor is detected, then an RRC connection re-establishment procedure maynot be triggered, UL transmissions towards cells of the SCG may bestopped, a master gNB may be informed by the wireless device of a SCGfailure type, and for a split bearer the DL data transfer over themaster gNB may be maintained. The NR RLC Acknowledge Mode (AM) bearermay be configured for the split bearer Like the PCell, a PSCell may notbe de-activated. The PSCell may be changed with an SCG change (e.g.,with a security key change and a RACH procedure). A direct bearer typemay change between a split bearer and an SCG bearer, or a simultaneousconfiguration of an SCG and a split bearer may or may not be supported.

With respect to the interaction between a master gNB and secondary gNBsfor multi-connectivity, one or more of the following may be applied. Themaster gNB may maintain the RRM measurement configuration of thewireless device, and the master gNB may, (e.g., based on receivedmeasurement reports, and/or based on traffic conditions and/or bearertypes), decide to ask a secondary gNB to provide additional resources(e.g., serving cells) for a wireless device. If a request from themaster gNB is received, a secondary gNB may create a container that mayresult in the configuration of additional serving cells for the wirelessdevice (or the secondary gNB decide that it has no resource available todo so). For wireless device capability coordination, the master gNB mayprovide some or all of the Active Set (AS) configuration and thewireless device capabilities to the secondary gNB. The master gNB andthe secondary gNB may exchange information about a wireless deviceconfiguration, such as by employing NR RRC containers (e.g., inter-nodemessages) carried in Xn messages. The secondary gNB may initiate areconfiguration of its existing serving cells (e.g., PUCCH towards thesecondary gNB). The secondary gNB may decide which cell is the PSCellwithin the SCG. The master gNB may or may not change the content of theNR RRC configuration provided by the secondary gNB. In an SCG additionand an SCG SCell addition, the master gNB may provide the latestmeasurement results for the SCG cell(s). Both a master gNB and asecondary gNBs may know the system frame number (SFN) and subframeoffset of each other by operations, administration, and maintenance(OAM) (e.g., for the purpose of discontinuous reception (DRX) alignmentand identification of a measurement gap). If adding a new SCG SCell,dedicated NR RRC signaling may be used for sending required systeminformation of the cell for CA, except, e.g., for the SFN acquired froman MIB of the PSCell of an SCG.

FIG. 7 shows an example of dual-connectivity (DC) for two MAC entitiesat a wireless device side. A first MAC entity may comprise a lower layerof an MCG 700, an upper layer of an MCG 718, and one or moreintermediate layers of an MCG 719. The lower layer of the MCG 700 maycomprise, e.g., a paging channel (PCH) 701, a broadcast channel (BCH)702, a downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) 703, an uplink shared channel(UL-SCH) 704, and a random access channel (RACH) 705. The one or moreintermediate layers of the MCG 719 may comprise, e.g., one or morehybrid automatic repeat request (HARM) processes 706, one or more randomaccess control processes 707, multiplexing and/or de-multiplexingprocesses 709, logical channel prioritization on the uplink processes710, and a control processes 708 providing control for the aboveprocesses in the one or more intermediate layers of the MCG 719. Theupper layer of the MCG 718 may comprise, e.g., a paging control channel(PCCH) 711, a broadcast control channel (BCCH) 712, a common controlchannel (CCCH) 713, a dedicated control channel (DCCH) 714, a dedicatedtraffic channel (DTCH) 715, and a MAC control 716.

A second MAC entity may comprise a lower layer of an SCG 720, an upperlayer of an SCG 738, and one or more intermediate layers of an SCG 739.The lower layer of the SCG 720 may comprise, e.g., a BCH 722, a DL-SCH723, an UL-SCH 724, and a RACH 725. The one or more intermediate layersof the SCG 739 may comprise, e.g., one or more HARQ processes 726, oneor more random access control processes 727, multiplexing and/orde-multiplexing processes 729, logical channel prioritization on theuplink processes 730, and a control processes 728 providing control forthe above processes in the one or more intermediate layers of the SCG739. The upper layer of the SCG 738 may comprise, e.g., a BCCH 732, aDCCH 714, a DTCH 735, and a MAC control 736.

Serving cells may be grouped in a TA group (TAG). Serving cells in oneTAG may use the same timing reference. For a given TAG, a wirelessdevice may use at least one downlink carrier as a timing reference. Fora given TAG, a wireless device may synchronize uplink subframe and frametransmission timing of uplink carriers belonging to the same TAG.Serving cells having an uplink to which the same TA applies maycorrespond to serving cells hosted by the same receiver. A wirelessdevice supporting multiple TAs may support two or more TA groups. One TAgroup may include the PCell and may be called a primary TAG (pTAG). In amultiple TAG configuration, at least one TA group may not include thePCell and may be called a secondary TAG (sTAG). Carriers within the sameTA group may use the same TA value and/or the same timing reference. IfDC is configured, cells belonging to a cell group (e.g., MCG or SCG) maybe grouped into multiple TAGs including a pTAG and one or more sTAGs.

FIG. 8 shows example TAG configurations. In Example 1, a pTAG comprisesa PCell, and an sTAG comprises an SCell1. In Example 2, a pTAG comprisesa PCell and an SCell1, and an sTAG comprises an SCell2 and an SCell3. InExample 3, a pTAG comprises a PCell and an SCell1, and an sTAG1comprises an SCell2 and an SCell3, and an sTAG2 comprises a SCell4. Upto four TAGs may be supported in a cell group (MCG or SCG), and otherexample TAG configurations may also be provided. In various examples,structures and operations are described for use with a pTAG and an sTAG.Some of the examples may be applied to configurations with multiplesTAGs.

An eNB may initiate an RA procedure, via a PDCCH order, for an activatedSCell. The PDCCH order may be sent on a scheduling cell of this SCell.If cross carrier scheduling is configured for a cell, the schedulingcell may be different than the cell that is employed for preambletransmission, and the PDCCH order may include an SCell index. At least anon-contention based RA procedure may be supported for SCell(s) assignedto sTAG(s).

FIG. 9 shows an example of random access processes, and a correspondingmessage flow, in a secondary TAG. A base station, such as an eNB, maytransmit an activation command 900 to a wireless device, such as a UE.The activation command 900 may be transmitted to activate an SCell. Thebase station may also transmit a PDDCH order 901 to the wireless device,which may be transmitted, e.g., after the activation command 900. Thewireless device may begin to perform a RACH process for the SCell, whichmay be initiated, e.g., after receiving the PDDCH order 901. The RACHprocess may include the wireless device transmitting to the base stationa preamble 902 (e.g., Msg1), such as a random access preamble (RAP). Thepreamble 902 may be transmitted in response to the PDCCH order 901. Thewireless device may transmit the preamble 902 via an SCell belonging toan sTAG. Preamble transmission for SCells may be controlled by a networkusing PDCCH format 1A. The base station may send a random accessresponse (RAR) 903 (e.g., Msg2 message) to the wireless device. The RAR903 may be in response to the preamble 902 transmission via the SCell.The RAR 903 may be addressed to a random access radio network temporaryidentifier (RA-RNTI) in a PCell common search space (CSS). If thewireless device receives the RAR 903, the RACH process may conclude. TheRACH process may conclude, e.g., after or in response to the wirelessdevice receiving the RAR 903 from the base station. After the RACHprocess, the wireless device may transmit an uplink transmission 904.The uplink transmission 904 may comprise uplink packets transmitted viathe same SCell used for the preamble 902 transmission.

Initial timing alignment for communications between the wireless deviceand the base station may be achieved through a random access procedure,such as described above regarding FIG. 9. The random access proceduremay involve a wireless device, such as a UE, transmitting a randomaccess preamble and a base station, such as an eNB, responding with aninitial TA command NTA (amount of timing advance) within a random accessresponse window. The start of the random access preamble may be alignedwith the start of a corresponding uplink subframe at the wireless deviceassuming NTA=0. The eNB may estimate the uplink timing from the randomaccess preamble transmitted by the wireless device. The TA command maybe derived by the eNB based on the estimation of the difference betweenthe desired UL timing and the actual UL timing. The wireless device maydetermine the initial uplink transmission timing relative to thecorresponding downlink of the sTAG on which the preamble is transmitted.

The mapping of a serving cell to a TAG may be configured by a servingeNB with RRC signaling. The mechanism for TAG configuration andreconfiguration may be based on RRC signaling. If an eNB performs anSCell addition configuration, the related TAG configuration may beconfigured for the SCell. An eNB may modify the TAG configuration of anSCell by removing (e.g., releasing) the SCell and adding (e.g.,configuring) a new SCell (with the same physical cell ID and frequency)with an updated TAG ID. The new SCell with the updated TAG ID mayinitially be inactive subsequent to being assigned the updated TAG ID.The eNB may activate the updated new SCell and start scheduling packetson the activated SCell. In some examples, it may not be possible tochange the TAG associated with an SCell, but rather, the SCell may needto be removed and a new SCell may need to be added with another TAG. Forexample, if there is a need to move an SCell from an sTAG to a pTAG, atleast one RRC message, such as at least one RRC reconfiguration message,may be sent to the wireless device. The at least one RRC message may besent to the wireless device to reconfigure TAG configurations, e.g., byreleasing the SCell and configuring the SCell as a part of the pTAG. If,e.g., an SCell is added or configured without a TAG index, the SCell maybe explicitly assigned to the pTAG. The PCell may not change its TAgroup and may be a member of the pTAG.

In LTE Release-10 and Release-11 CA, a PUCCH transmission is onlytransmitted on a PCell (e.g., a PSCell) to an eNB. In LTE-Release 12 andearlier, a wireless device may transmit PUCCH information on one cell(e.g., a PCell or a PSCell) to a given eNB. As the number of CA capablewireless devices increase, and as the number of aggregated carriersincrease, the number of PUCCHs and the PUCCH payload size may increase.Accommodating the PUCCH transmissions on the PCell may lead to a highPUCCH load on the PCell. A PUCCH on an SCell may be used to offload thePUCCH resource from the PCell. More than one PUCCH may be configured.For example, a PUCCH on a PCell may be configured and another PUCCH onan SCell may be configured. One, two, or more cells may be configuredwith PUCCH resources for transmitting CSI, acknowledgment (ACK), and/ornon-acknowledgment (NACK) to a base station. Cells may be grouped intomultiple PUCCH groups, and one or more cell within a group may beconfigured with a PUCCH. In some examples, one SCell may belong to onePUCCH group. SCells with a configured PUCCH transmitted to a basestation may be called a PUCCH SCell, and a cell group with a commonPUCCH resource transmitted to the same base station may be called aPUCCH group.

A MAC entity may have a configurable timer, e.g., timeAlignmentTimer,per TAG. The timeAlignmentTimer may be used to control how long the MACentity considers the serving cells belonging to the associated TAG to beuplink time aligned. If a Timing Advance Command MAC control element isreceived, the MAC entity may apply the Timing Advance Command for theindicated TAG; and/or the MAC entity may start or restart thetimeAlignmentTimer associated with a TAG that may be indicated by theTiming Advance Command MAC control element. If a Timing Advance Commandis received in a Random Access Response message for a serving cellbelonging to a TAG, the MAC entity may apply the Timing Advance Commandfor this TAG and/or start or restart the timeAlignmentTimer associatedwith this TAG. Additionally or alternatively, if the Random AccessPreamble is not selected by the MAC entity, the MAC entity may apply theTiming Advance Command for this TAG and/or start or restart thetimeAlignmentTimer associated with this TAG. If the timeAlignmentTimerassociated with this TAG is not running, the Timing Advance Command forthis TAG may be applied, and the timeAlignmentTimer associated with thisTAG may be started. If the contention resolution is not successful, atimeAlignmentTimer associated with this TAG may be stopped. If thecontention resolution is successful, the MAC entity may ignore thereceived Timing Advance Command. The MAC entity may determine whetherthe contention resolution is successful or whether the contentionresolution is not successful.

FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B show examples for interfaces between a 5G corenetwork (e.g., NGC) and base stations (e.g., gNB and eLTE eNB). Forexample, in FIG. 10A, a base station, such as a gNB 1020, may beinterconnected to an NGC 1010 control plane employing an NG-C interface.The base station, e.g., the gNB 1020, may also be interconnected to anNGC 1010 user plane (e.g., UPGW) employing an NG-U interface. As anotherexample, in FIG. 10B, a base station, such as an eLTE eNB 1040, may beinterconnected to an NGC 1030 control plane employing an NG-C interface.The base station, e.g., the eLTE eNB 1040, may also be interconnected toan NGC 1030 user plane (e.g., UPGW) employing an NG-U interface. An NGinterface may support a many-to-many relation between 5G core networksand base stations.

FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, FIG. 11D, FIG. 11E, and FIG. 11F areexamples for architectures of tight interworking between a 5G RAN and anLTE RAN. The tight interworking may enable a multiplereceiver/transmitter (RX/TX) wireless device in an RRC_CONNECTED stateto be configured to utilize radio resources provided by two schedulerslocated in two base stations (e.g., an eLTE eNB and a gNB). The two basestations may be connected via a non-ideal or ideal backhaul over the Xxinterface between an LTE eNB and a gNB, or over the Xn interface betweenan eLTE eNB and a gNB. Base stations involved in tight interworking fora certain wireless device may assume different roles. For example, abase station may act as a master base station or a base station may actas a secondary base station. In tight interworking, a wireless devicemay be connected to both a master base station and a secondary basestation. Mechanisms implemented in tight interworking may be extended tocover more than two base stations.

In FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B, a master base station may be an LTE eNB 1102Aor an LTE eNB 1102B, which may be connected to EPC nodes 1101A or 1101B,respectively. This connection to EPC nodes may be, e.g., to an MME viathe S1-C interface and/or to an S-GW via the S1-U interface. A secondarybase station may be a gNB 1103A or a gNB 1103B, either or both of whichmay be a non-standalone node having a control plane connection via anXx-C interface to an LTE eNB (e.g., the LTE eNB 1102A or the LTE eNB1102B). In the tight interworking architecture of FIG. 11A, a user planefor a gNB (e.g., the gNB 1103A) may be connected to an S-GW (e.g., theEPC 1101A) through an LTE eNB (e.g., the LTE eNB 1102A), via an Xx-Uinterface between the LTE eNB and the gNB, and via an S1-U interfacebetween the LTE eNB and the S-GW. In the architecture of FIG. 11B, auser plane for a gNB (e.g., the gNB 1103B) may be connected directly toan S-GW (e.g., the EPC 1101B) via an S1-U interface between the gNB andthe S-GW.

In FIG. 11C and FIG. 11D, a master base station may be a gNB 1103C or agNB 1103D, which may be connected to NGC nodes 1101C or 1101D,respectively. This connection to NGC nodes may be, e.g., to a controlplane core node via the NG-C interface and/or to a user plane core nodevia the NG-U interface. A secondary base station may be an eLTE eNB1102C or an eLTE eNB 1102D, either or both of which may be anon-standalone node having a control plane connection via an Xn-Cinterface to a gNB (e.g., the gNB 1103C or the gNB 1103D). In the tightinterworking architecture of FIG. 11C, a user plane for an eLTE eNB(e.g., the eLTE eNB 1102C) may be connected to a user plane core node(e.g., the NGC 1101C) through a gNB (e.g., the gNB 1103C), via an Xn-Uinterface between the eLTE eNB and the gNB, and via an NG-U interfacebetween the gNB and the user plane core node. In the architecture ofFIG. 11D, a user plane for an eLTE eNB (e.g., the eLTE eNB 1102D) may beconnected directly to a user plane core node (e.g., the NGC 1101D) viaan NG-U interface between the eLTE eNB and the user plane core node.

In FIG. 11E and FIG. 11F, a master base station may be an eLTE eNB 1102Eor an eLTE eNB 1102F, which may be connected to NGC nodes 1101E or1101F, respectively. This connection to NGC nodes may be, e.g., to acontrol plane core node via the NG-C interface and/or to a user planecore node via the NG-U interface. A secondary base station may be a gNB1103E or a gNB 1103F, either or both of which may be a non-standalonenode having a control plane connection via an Xn-C interface to an eLTEeNB (e.g., the eLTE eNB 1102E or the eLTE eNB 1102F). In the tightinterworking architecture of FIG. 11E, a user plane for a gNB (e.g., thegNB 1103E) may be connected to a user plane core node (e.g., the NGC1101E) through an eLTE eNB (e.g., the eLTE eNB 1102E), via an Xn-Uinterface between the eLTE eNB and the gNB, and via an NG-U interfacebetween the eLTE eNB and the user plane core node. In the architectureof FIG. 11F, a user plane for a gNB (e.g., the gNB 1103F) may beconnected directly to a user plane core node (e.g., the NGC 1101F) viaan NG-U interface between the gNB and the user plane core node.

FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B, and FIG. 12C are examples for radio protocolstructures of tight interworking bearers.

In FIG. 12A, an LTE eNB 1201A may be an S1 master base station, and agNB 1210A may be an S1 secondary base station. An example for a radioprotocol architecture for a split bearer and an SCG bearer is shown. TheLTE eNB 1201A may be connected to an EPC with a non-standalone gNB1210A, via an Xx interface between the PDCP 1206A and an NR RLC 1212A.The LTE eNB 1201A may include protocol layers MAC 1202A, RLC 1203A andRLC 1204A, and PDCP 1205A and PDCP 1206A. An MCG bearer type mayinterface with the PDCP 1205A, and a split bearer type may interfacewith the PDCP 1206A. The gNB 1210A may include protocol layers NR MAC1211A, NR RLC 1212A and NR RLC 1213A, and NR PDCP 1214A. An SCG bearertype may interface with the NR PDCP 1214A.

In FIG. 12B, a gNB 1201B may be an NG master base station, and an eLTEeNB 1210B may be an NG secondary base station. An example for a radioprotocol architecture for a split bearer and an SCG bearer is shown. ThegNB 1201B may be connected to an NGC with a non-standalone eLTE eNB1210B, via an Xn interface between the NR PDCP 1206B and an RLC 1212B.The gNB 1201B may include protocol layers NR MAC 1202B, NR RLC 1203B andNR RLC 1204B, and NR PDCP 1205B and NR PDCP 1206B. An MCG bearer typemay interface with the NR PDCP 1205B, and a split bearer type mayinterface with the NR PDCP 1206B. The eLTE eNB 1210B may includeprotocol layers MAC 1211B, RLC 1212B and RLC 1213B, and PDCP 1214B. AnSCG bearer type may interface with the PDCP 1214B.

In FIG. 12C, an eLTE eNB 1201C may be an NG master base station, and agNB 1210C may be an NG secondary base station. An example for a radioprotocol architecture for a split bearer and an SCG bearer is shown. TheeLTE eNB 1201C may be connected to an NGC with a non-standalone gNB1210C, via an Xn interface between the PDCP 1206C and an NR RLC 1212C.The eLTE eNB 1201C may include protocol layers MAC 1202C, RLC 1203C andRLC 1204C, and PDCP 1205C and PDCP 1206C. An MCG bearer type mayinterface with the PDCP 1205C, and a split bearer type may interfacewith the PDCP 1206C. The gNB 1210C may include protocol layers NR MAC1211C, NR RLC 1212C and NR RLC 1213C, and NR PDCP 1214C. An SCG bearertype may interface with the NR PDCP 1214C.

In a 5G network, the radio protocol architecture that a particularbearer uses may depend on how the bearer is setup. At least threealternatives may exist, e.g., an MCG bearer, an SCG bearer, and a splitbearer, such as shown in FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B, and FIG. 12C. The NR RRCmay be located in a master base station, and the SRBs may be configuredas an MCG bearer type and may use the radio resources of the master basestation. Tight interworking may have at least one bearer configured touse radio resources provided by the secondary base station. Tightinterworking may or may not be configured or implemented.

The wireless device may be configured with two MAC entities: e.g., oneMAC entity for a master base station, and one MAC entity for a secondarybase station. In tight interworking, the configured set of serving cellsfor a wireless device may comprise of two subsets: e.g., the Master CellGroup (MCG) including the serving cells of the master base station, andthe Secondary Cell Group (SCG) including the serving cells of thesecondary base station.

At least one cell in a SCG may have a configured UL CC and one of them,e.g., a PSCell (or the PCell of the SCG, which may also be called aPCell), is configured with PUCCH resources. If the SCG is configured,there may be at least one SCG bearer or one split bearer. If one or moreof a physical layer problem or a random access problem is detected on aPSCell, if the maximum number of (NR) RLC retransmissions associatedwith the SCG has been reached, and/or if an access problem on a PSCellduring an SCG addition or during an SCG change is detected, then: an RRCconnection re-establishment procedure may not be triggered, ULtransmissions towards cells of the SCG may be stopped, a master basestation may be informed by the wireless device of a SCG failure type,and/or for a split bearer the DL data transfer over the master basestation may be maintained. The RLC AM bearer may be configured for thesplit bearer. Like the PCell, a PSCell may not be de-activated. A PSCellmay be changed with an SCG change, e.g., with security key change and aRACH procedure. A direct bearer type change, between a split bearer andan SCG bearer, may not be supported. Simultaneous configuration of anSCG and a split bearer may not be supported.

With respect to the interaction between a master base station and asecondary base station, one or more of the following may be applied. Themaster base station may maintain the RRM measurement configuration ofthe wireless device. The master base station may determine to ask asecondary base station to provide additional resources (e.g., servingcells) for a wireless device. This determination may be based on, e.g.,received measurement reports, traffic conditions, and/or bearer types.If a request from the master base station is received, a secondary basestation may create a container that may result in the configuration ofadditional serving cells for the wireless device, or the secondary basestation may determine that it has no resource available to do so. Themaster base station may provide at least part of the AS configurationand the wireless device capabilities to the secondary base station,e.g., for wireless device capability coordination. The master basestation and the secondary base station may exchange information about awireless device configuration such as by using RRC containers (e.g.,inter-node messages) carried in Xn or Xx messages. The secondary basestation may initiate a reconfiguration of its existing serving cells(e.g., PUCCH towards the secondary base station). The secondary basestation may determine which cell is the PSCell within the SCG. Themaster base station may not change the content of the RRC configurationprovided by the secondary base station. If an SCG is added and/or an SCGSCell is added, the master base station may provide the latestmeasurement results for the SCG cell(s). Either or both of a master basestation and a secondary base station may know the SFN and subframeoffset of each other by OAM, (e.g., for the purpose of DRX alignment andidentification of a measurement gap). If a new SCG SCell is added,dedicated RRC signaling may be used for sending required systeminformation of the cell, such as for CA, except, e.g., for the SFNacquired from an MIB of the PSCell of an SCG.

FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B show examples for gNB deployment. A core 1301 anda core 1310, in FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B, respectively, may interface withother nodes via RAN-CN interfaces. In a non-centralized deploymentexample in FIG. 13A, the full protocol stack (e.g., NR RRC, NR PDCP, NRRLC, NR MAC, and NR PHY) may be supported at one node, such as a gNB1302, a gNB 1303, and/or an eLTE eNB or LTE eNB 1304. These nodes (e.g.,the gNB 1302, the gNB 1303, and the eLTE eNB or LTE eNB 1304) mayinterface with one of more of each other via a respective inter-BSinterface. In the centralized deployment example in FIG. 13B, upperlayers of a gNB may be located in a Central Unit (CU) 1311, and lowerlayers of the gNB may be located in Distributed Units (DU) 1312, 1313,and 1314. The CU-DU interface (e.g., Fs interface) connecting CU 1311and DUs 1312, 1312, and 1314 may be ideal or non-ideal. The Fs-C mayprovide a control plane connection over the Fs interface, and the Fs-Umay provide a user plane connection over the Fs interface. In thecentralized deployment, different functional split options between theCU 1311 and the DUs 1312, 1313, and 1314 may be possible by locatingdifferent protocol layers (e.g., RAN functions) in the CU 1311 and inthe DU 1312, 1313, and 1314. The functional split may supportflexibility to move the RAN functions between the CU 1311 and the DUs1312, 1313, and 1314 depending on service requirements and/or networkenvironments. The functional split option may change during operation(e.g., after the Fs interface setup procedure), or the functional splitoption may change only in the Fs setup procedure (e.g., the functionalsplit option may be static during operation after Fs setup procedure).

FIG. 14 shows examples for different functional split options of acentralized gNB deployment. Element numerals that are followed by “A” or“B” designations in FIG. 14 may represent the same elements in differenttraffic flows, e.g., either receiving data (e.g., data 1402A) or sendingdata (e.g., 1402B). In the split option example 1, an NR RRC 1401 may bein a CU, and an NR PDCP 1403, an NR RLC (e.g., comprising a High NR RLC1404 and/or a Low NR RLC 1405), an NR MAC (e.g., comprising a High NRMAC 1406 and/or a Low NR MAC 1407), an NR PHY (e.g., comprising a HighNR PHY 1408 and/or a LOW NR PHY 1409), and an RF 1410 may be in a DU. Inthe split option example 2, the NR RRC 1401 and the NR PDCP 1403 may bein a CU, and the NR RLC, the NR MAC, the NR PHY, and the RF 1410 may bein a DU. In the split option example 3, the NR RRC 1401, the NR PDCP1403, and a partial function of the NR RLC (e.g., the High NR RLC 1404)may be in a CU, and the other partial function of the NR RLC (e.g., theLow NR RLC 1405), the NR MAC, the NR PHY, and the RF 1410 may be in aDU. In the split option example 4, the NR RRC 1401, the NR PDCP 1403,and the NR RLC may be in a CU, and the NR MAC, the NR PHY, and the RF1410 may be in a DU. In the split option example 5, the NR RRC 1401, theNR PDCP 1403, the NR RLC, and a partial function of the NR MAC (e.g.,the High NR MAC 1406) may be in a CU, and the other partial function ofthe NR MAC (e.g., the Low NR MAC 1407), the NR PHY, and the RF 1410 maybe in a DU. In the split option example 6, the NR RRC 1401, the NR PDCP1403, the NR RLC, and the NR MAC may be in CU, and the NR PHY and the RF1410 may be in a DU. In the split option example 7, the NR RRC 1401, theNR PDCP 1403, the NR RLC, the NR MAC, and a partial function of the NRPHY (e.g., the High NR PHY 1408) may be in a CU, and the other partialfunction of the NR PHY (e.g., the Low NR PHY 1409) and the RF 1410 maybe in a DU. In the split option example 8, the NR RRC 1401, the NR PDCP1403, the NR RLC, the NR MAC, and the NR PHY may be in a CU, and the RF1410 may be in a DU.

The functional split may be configured per CU, per DU, per wirelessdevice, per bearer, per slice, and/or with other granularities. In a perCU split, a CU may have a fixed split, and DUs may be configured tomatch the split option of the CU. In a per DU split, each DU may beconfigured with a different split, and a CU may provide different splitoptions for different DUs. In a per wireless device split, a gNB (e.g.,a CU and a DU) may provide different split options for differentwireless devices. In a per bearer split, different split options may beutilized for different bearer types. In a per slice splice, differentsplit options may be applied for different slices.

A new radio access network (new RAN) may support different networkslices, which may allow differentiated treatment customized to supportdifferent service requirements with end to end scope. The new RAN mayprovide a differentiated handling of traffic for different networkslices that may be pre-configured, and the new RAN may allow a singleRAN node to support multiple slices. The new RAN may support selectionof a RAN part for a given network slice, e.g., by one or more sliceID(s) or NSSAI(s) provided by a wireless device or provided by an NGC(e.g., an NG CP). The slice ID(s) or NSSAI(s) may identify one or moreof pre-configured network slices in a PLMN. For an initial attach, awireless device may provide a slice ID and/or an NSSAI, and a RAN node(e.g., a gNB) may use the slice ID or the NSSAI for routing an initialNAS signaling to an NGC control plane function (e.g., an NG CP). If awireless device does not provide any slice ID or NSSAI, a RAN node maysend a NAS signaling to a default NGC control plane function. Forsubsequent accesses, the wireless device may provide a temporary ID fora slice identification, which may be assigned by the NGC control planefunction, to enable a RAN node to route the NAS message to a relevantNGC control plane function. The new RAN may support resource isolationbetween slices. If the RAN resource isolation is implemented, shortageof shared resources in one slice does not cause a break in a servicelevel agreement for another slice.

The amount of data traffic carried over networks is expected to increasefor many years to come. The number of users and/or devices is increasingand each user/device accesses an increasing number and variety ofservices, e.g., video delivery, large files, and images. This requiresnot only high capacity in the network, but also provisioning very highdata rates to meet customers' expectations on interactivity andresponsiveness. More spectrum may be required for network operators tomeet the increasing demand. Considering user expectations of high datarates along with seamless mobility, it is beneficial that more spectrumbe made available for deploying macro cells as well as small cells forcommunication systems.

Striving to meet the market demands, there has been increasing interestfrom operators in deploying some complementary access utilizingunlicensed spectrum to meet the traffic growth. This is exemplified bythe large number of operator-deployed Wi-Fi networks and the 3GPPstandardization of LTE/WLAN interworking solutions. This interestindicates that unlicensed spectrum, if present, may be an effectivecomplement to licensed spectrum for network operators, e.g., to helpaddress the traffic explosion in some examples, such as hotspot areas.Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) offers an alternative for operators tomake use of unlicensed spectrum, e.g., while managing one radio network,offering new possibilities for optimizing the network's efficiency.

Listen-before-talk (clear channel assessment) may be implemented fortransmission in an LAA cell. In a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure,equipment may apply a clear channel assessment (CCA) check before usingthe channel. For example, the CCA may utilize at least energy detectionto determine the presence or absence of other signals on a channel inorder to determine if a channel is occupied or clear, respectively. Forexample, European and Japanese regulations mandate the usage of LBT inthe unlicensed bands. Apart from regulatory requirements, carriersensing via LBT may be one way for fair sharing of the unlicensedspectrum.

Discontinuous transmission on an unlicensed carrier with limited maximumtransmission duration may be enabled. Some of these functions may besupported by one or more signals to be transmitted from the beginning ofa discontinuous LAA downlink transmission. Channel reservation may beenabled by the transmission of signals, by an LAA node, after gainingchannel access, e.g., via a successful LBT operation, so that othernodes that receive the transmitted signal with energy above a certainthreshold sense the channel to be occupied. Functions that may need tobe supported by one or more signals for LAA operation with discontinuousdownlink transmission may include one or more of the following:detection of the LAA downlink transmission (including cellidentification) by wireless devices, time synchronization of wirelessdevices, and frequency synchronization of wireless devices.

DL LAA design may employ subframe boundary alignment according to LTE-Acarrier aggregation timing relationships across serving cells aggregatedby CA. This may not indicate that the eNB transmissions may start onlyat the subframe boundary. LAA may support transmitting PDSCH if not allOFDM symbols are available for transmission in a subframe according toLBT. Delivery of necessary control information for the PDSCH may also besupported.

LBT procedures may be employed for fair and friendly coexistence of LAAwith other operators and technologies operating in unlicensed spectrum.LBT procedures on a node attempting to transmit on a carrier inunlicensed spectrum may require the node to perform a clear channelassessment to determine if the channel is free for use. An LBT proceduremay involve at least energy detection to determine if the channel isbeing used. For example, regulatory requirements in some regions, e.g.,in Europe, specify an energy detection threshold such that if a nodereceives energy greater than this threshold, the node assumes that thechannel is not free. While nodes may follow such regulatoryrequirements, a node may optionally use a lower threshold for energydetection than that specified by regulatory requirements. LAA may employa mechanism to adaptively change the energy detection threshold, e.g.,LAA may employ a mechanism to adaptively lower the energy detectionthreshold from an upper bound. Adaptation mechanism may not precludestatic or semi-static setting of the threshold. A Category 4 LBTmechanism or other type of LBT mechanisms may be implemented.

Various example LBT mechanisms may be implemented. For some signals, insome implementation scenarios, in some situations, and/or in somefrequencies, no LBT procedure may performed by the transmitting entity.For example, Category 2 (e.g., LBT without random back-off) may beimplemented. The duration of time that the channel is sensed to be idlebefore the transmitting entity transmits may be deterministic. Forexample, Category 3 (e.g., LBT with random back-off with a contentionwindow of fixed size) may be implemented. The LBT procedure may have thefollowing procedure as one of its components. The transmitting entitymay draw a random number N within a contention window. The size of thecontention window may be specified by the minimum and maximum value ofN. The size of the contention window may be fixed. The random number Nmay be employed in the LBT procedure to determine the duration of timethat the channel is sensed to be idle, e.g., before the transmittingentity transmits on the channel. For example, Category 4 (e.g., LBT withrandom back-off with a contention window of variable size) may beimplemented. The transmitting entity may draw a random number N within acontention window. The size of contention window may be specified by theminimum and maximum value of N. The transmitting entity may vary thesize of the contention window if drawing the random number N. The randomnumber N may be used in the LBT procedure to determine the duration oftime that the channel is sensed to be idle, e.g., before thetransmitting entity transmits on the channel.

A DL transmission burst may be a continuous transmission from a DLtransmitting node, e.g., with no transmission immediately before orafter from the same node on the same CC. An UL transmission burst from awireless device perspective may be a continuous transmission from awireless device, e.g., with no transmission immediately before or afterfrom the same wireless device on the same CC. A UL transmission burstmay be defined from a wireless device perspective or from an eNBperspective. If an eNB is operating DL and UL LAA over the sameunlicensed carrier, DL transmission burst(s) and UL transmissionburst(s) on LAA may be scheduled in a TDM manner over the sameunlicensed carrier. An instant in time may be part of a DL transmissionburst or part of an UL transmission burst.

With slicing, Mobile Network Operators (MNO) may be able to determine,for users and/or devices or groups of users and/or devices, one or moredifferent types, such as tenant types, user types, use types, servicetypes, device types, communication types, etc. Each type may comprisedifferent service requirements. As examples, communications may be forenhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latencycommunications (URLLC), or any other type of communications. One or moreService Level Agreements (SLAs) or subscriptions may be associated withdifferent service requirements and may determine what slice types eachdifferent type (e.g., tenant, user, use, service, device, communication,etc.) may be eligible to use. NSSAI (Network Slice Selection AssistanceInformation) may comprise one or more S-NSSAIs (Single NSSAI). Eachnetwork slice may be uniquely identified by a S-NSSAI. A wireless devicemay store a Configured and/or Accepted NSSAI per PLMN. The NSSAI mayhave standard values or PLMN specific values. For signaling between RANand CN, a slice ID may be represented by an NSSAI and/or S-NSSAI. Inthis way, network slicing may allow differentiated treatment dependingon requirements for each type of tenant, user, use, service, device,communications, etc.

Base stations and wireless devices may use resource status informationto provide dynamic operations for a wireless device that requiresservice of one or more slices. Resource status information may compriseinformation about resources in a network (e.g., a RAN), such as radioresources, hardware resources, or interface resources. Decisions forhandover, multi-connectivity initiation, and/or multi-connectivitymodification for a wireless device may use resource status informationto provide improved decisions to serve network slices for the wirelessdevice based on current network conditions. For example, a wirelessdevice with particular requirements or requests relating to the use ofone or more network slices, or one or more services associatedtherewith, may be served by a base station making a decision for ahandover, multi-connectivity initiation, and/or multi-connectivitymodification for the wireless device that accounts for resources relatedto the one or more network slices, or associated services, for thewireless device.

A base station and/or a cell may support a resource isolation betweendifferent network slices. For example, a base station and/or a cell mayprovide a reliable service for a first slice if a second slice is in ahigh load status. To achieve the resource isolation between networkslices, Neighboring base stations may provide load balancing and/ordifferentiated handling of communications by, e.g., controlling multiplenetwork slices. Base stations may control multiple network slicesseparately or simultaneously. Base stations may exchange resource statusinformation for different network slices with Neighboring base stations.

Network slicing in a RAN may be based on the following. RAN awareness ofslices may indicate that the RAN may support a differentiated handlingof traffic for different network slices, e.g., which may have beenpre-configured. RAN may support the slice enabling in terms of RANfunctions (e.g., the set of network functions that comprises each slice)in various ways. Selection of the RAN part of the network slice mayindicate that the RAN may support the selection of the RAN part of thenetwork slice. One or more slice ID(s) may be provided by the wirelessdevice or the CN, which may identify one or more pre-configured networkslices in the PLMN. The accepted NSSAI may be sent, e.g., by a CN to awireless device and a RAN, after network slice selection. Resourcemanagement between slices may indicate that the RAN may support policyenforcement between slices, e.g., based on service level agreements. Asingle RAN node may support multiple slices. The RAN may be able toapply the best RRM policy for the SLA in place to each supported slice.Support of QoS may indicate that the RAN may support QoS differentiationwithin a slice.

RAN selection of a CN entity may be supported. For an initial attach, awireless device may provide one or more slice ID(s). If available, theRAN may use the slice ID(s) for routing the initial NAS to an NGC CPfunction. If the wireless device does not provide any slice ID(s), theRAN may send the NAS signaling to a default NGC CP function. Forsubsequent accesses, the wireless device may provide a temporaryidentifier (e.g., Temp ID), which may be assigned to the wireless deviceby the NGC, e.g., to enable the RAN to route the NAS message to theappropriate NGC CP function as long as the Temp ID is valid (e.g., theRAN may be aware of and may be able to reach the NGC CP function whichmay be associated with the Temp ID). Additionally or alternatively, oneor more methods for initial attach may apply. Resource isolation betweenslices may be supported by the RAN. RAN resource isolation may beachieved by using one or more RRM policies or protection mechanisms. Forexample, a shortage of shared resources in one slice that may otherwisebreak the service level agreement for another slice may be avoided. Itmay be possible to fully dedicate RAN resources to a certain slice.

Slice availability may be dependent on the RAN. Some slices may beavailable only in part of a network. Awareness in a gNB of the slicessupported in the cells of its Neighboring gNBs may be beneficial forinter-frequency mobility, e.g., in a connected mode. It may be assumedthat the slice configuration may or may not change within the wirelessdevice's registration area. The RAN and the CN handle a service requestfor a slice that may or may not be available in a given area. Admissionor rejection of access to a slice may depend upon one or more factorssuch as support for the slice, availability of resources, or support ofthe requested service by other slices. Slice availability in a RAN maybe handled during mobility. Neighbor gNBs may exchange sliceavailability on the interface connecting two nodes, e.g., an Xninterface between gNBs or any other interface between base stations. Thecore network may provide the RAN a mobility restriction list. This listmay comprise those TAs (Tracking Areas) which support, or do notsupport, the slices for the wireless device. The slices supported at thesource node may be mapped, e.g., if possible, to other slices at atarget node. Examples of possible mapping mechanisms may comprise one ormore of: mapping by the CN, e.g., if there may be a signalinginteraction between the RAN and the CN and performance may not beimpacted; mapping by the RAN, e.g., as an action following priornegotiation with the CN during a wireless device connection setup; ormapping by the RAN autonomously, e.g., if prior configuration of mappingpolicies took place at the RAN. Associating a wireless device withmultiple network slices simultaneously may be supported. If a wirelessdevice is associated with multiple slices simultaneously, a singlesignaling connection may be maintained.

A slice ID may be included as part of a PDU session information that maybe transferred during mobility signaling, e.g., to provide mobilityslice awareness for network slicing. By providing the slice ID,slice-aware admission and congestion control may be enabled. If a targetcell is selected, handover signaling may be initiated and may attempt tomove PDU session resources for active slices of the wireless device fromone node to another node. A first gNB (e.g., source gNB) may be requiredto hand over slices, which a wireless device in question may be using,to a second gNB (e.g., target gNB) as part of a handover procedure. If ahandover procedure involves a NGC (e.g., a core network node), duringthe procedure the target AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function,e.g., a core network node) may align the set of slices supported in thenew registration area between the wireless device and the network at aNAS level. PDU sessions that may be associated with the removed slicesmay be not admitted at a target node.

A core network node may validate that a wireless device has the rightsto access a network slice. Prior to receiving an initial context setuprequest message, the RAN may be allowed to apply some provisional and/orlocal policies, e.g., based on awareness of to which slice the wirelessdevice may be requesting access. The CN may be aware of network slicesto which the wireless device may belong. During the initial contextsetup, the RAN may be informed of network slices for which resources maybe requested.

Network slicing in a RAN may include slice awareness in the RAN that maybe introduced at a PDU session level, e.g., by indicating the slice IDcorresponding to the PDU session. An indication of a slice ID mayfurther indicate: that QoS flows within a PDU session may belong to thesame network slice; that, within a slice, QoS differentiation may besupported; that connection of a wireless device to multiple networkslices may be supported, e.g., as multiple PDU sessions per wirelessdevice may be able to be established; that, as a consequence of sliceawareness at a PDU session level, user data pertinent to differentnetwork slices may or may not share the same NG-U tunnel; and/or that,by adding the slice ID information to the PDU session information,mobility signaling may also become slice-aware and may enable per-sliceadmission and/or congestion control.

Following one or more of an initial access, an establishment of a RRCconnection, and a selection of a correct CN instance, the CN mayestablish the complete wireless device context by sending the initialcontext setup request message to the gNB over a NG-C interface. Themessage may contain the slice ID as part of the PDU session(s) resourcedescription. Upon successful establishment of the wireless devicecontext and allocation of PDU resources to the relevant networkslice(s), the RAN may respond with the initial context setup responsemessage.

If new PDU sessions are to be established, and/or if existing PDUsessions are to be modified or released, the CN may request the RAN toallocate and/or release resources relative to the relevant PDU sessions,e.g., using the PDU session setup/modify/release procedures over a NG-Cinterface. For network slicing, slice ID information may be added perPDU session. By adding slice ID information, the RAN may be enabled toapply policies at the PDU session level according to the SLA representedby the network slice, e.g., while still being able to applydifferentiated QoS within the slice. The RAN may confirm theestablishment, modification, and/or release of a PDU session associatedwith a certain network slice, e.g., by responding with the PDU sessionsetup/modify/release response message over the NG-C interface.

New Radio (NR) may expand and support diverse use cases and applicationsthat may continue beyond the 3G and 4G standards, such as enhancedMobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication(URLLC), and massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC). In NR, theperformance requirements for URLLC may be different from those for eMBBand/or mMTC. URLLC may have stringent requirements on latency andreliability. URLLC traffic may be sporadic or periodic such as the oneobserved in vehicular communications that may enable autonomous drivingand/or in a control network of industrial plants. The packet sizes ofURLLC traffic may depend on time and may vary in differenttransmissions. It may be possible that a wireless device may not finishan uplink (UL) transmission within the resources allocated by a basestation in NR, referred to as a gNB. The different requirement for URLLCmay necessitate a different treatment of URLLC traffic and the varyingpacket sizes of URLLC may require a flexible radio resource allocationthat may reflect the change of packet size. The periodic URLLC trafficmay require one or more radio resources allocated to a wireless devicein accordance with the traffic periodicity. Considering theserequirements, a semi-static resource configuration dedicated to awireless device for URLLC may not satisfy URLLC services and/or packetsizes, which may result in wasting the radio resources and leadinginefficient resource utilization.

NR may support an uplink (UL) transmission without a UL grant for one ormore service types, which may be referred to as a grant-free (GF) ULtransmission. A gNB may allocate to wireless device one or more GF ULradio resources. A wireless device configured by the gNB with the GF ULradio resources may transmit one or more data packets via the GF ULradio resources without a UL grant, which may result in reducing thesignaling overhead comparing with a grant-based (GB) UL transmission.Such a service type that has strict requirements, for example in termsof latency and reliability such as URLLC, may be a candidate for which agNB may configure a wireless device with the GF UL transmission. Thewireless device configured with the GF UL radio resource may skip a ULtransmission on the GF UL radio resource if there is no data totransmit. GF UL transmission may support multiple wireless devices toaccess the same GF UL radio resources, which may be referred to as a GFradio resource pool. GF radio resource pool may be utilized to achievelower latency and lower signaling overhead than a GB UL transmission. AGF radio resource pool may be defined as a subset of one or more radioresources from a common radio resource set (e.g. from all uplink sharedchannel radio resources). The GF radio resource pool may be used toallocate exclusive or partially overlapped one or more radio resourcesfor GF UL transmissions in a cell or to organize frequency/time reusebetween different cells or parts of a cell (e.g. cell-center andcell-edge).

If a gNB configures multiple wireless devices with the same (orpartially overlapped) GF radio resource pool, there may be a collisionbetween two or more wireless devices on the GF UL transmissions. The gNBmay configure one or more parameters to assign a wireless devicespecific demodulation reference signal (DMRS) along with the GF radioresource configuration in order to identify a wireless device ID frommultiple wireless devices. The one or more parameters may indicate oneor more of a root index of a set of Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequences, a cyclicshift (CS) index, a TDM/FDM pattern index, or an orthogonal cover code(OCC) sequences or index.

For wireless device ID identification, a gNB may employ one or morepreamble sequences that may be transmitted together with the uplinke.g., PUSCH, data. The one or more preamble sequences may be designed tobe reliable enough to meet the detection requirement of a service, e.g.,URLLC. For a wireless device configured with a GF radio resource pool, apreamble sequence may be uniquely allocated to the wireless device. AgNB may configure different GF radio resources for different sets ofwireless devices such that the preamble sequences may be reused indifferent GF radio resources. To have reliable detection performance,the preamble sequences may be mutually orthogonal, e.g. orthogonalitybetween ZC root sequences with different cyclic shifts. A wirelessdevice may transmit one or more preambles together with the data blockand receive a response. The data may be repeated an arbitrary numbertimes depending on the configuration. One or more preambles may not berepeated based on reliability metrics, which may be pre-determinedand/or determined dynamically. The response from a gNB may be a UL grantor a dedicated ACK/NACK transmitted in the downlink control information(DCI).

The GF resource pool configuration may not be known to wireless devicesand/or may be coordinated between different cells for interferencecoordination. If the GF resource pools are known to wireless devices,they may be semi-statically configured by wireless device-specific RRCsignaling or non-wireless device-specific RRC signaling (e.g., viabroadcasting SIB). The RRC signaling for GF radio resource configurationmay comprise one or more parameters indicating one or more of following:GF time and frequency radio resources, DMRS parameters, a modulation andcoding scheme (MCS), a transport block size (TBS), number ofrepetitions, a hopping pattern, and/or power control parameters.

A wireless device may need to know necessary parameters for UL GFtransmission before transmitting on the resource. Accordingly, L1signaling may be used in conjunction with RRC signaling. RRC signalingmay configure the necessary parameters for GF UL transmission to thewireless device and L1 signaling may activate or deactivate theconfigured GF UL transmission. L1 signaling may be used to adjust,modify, or update one or more parameters associated with GF ULtransmission. The L1 activation signaling may be transmitted via a PDCCHusing a variety of implementations, including those similar to thesignaling used for LTE UL semi-persistent scheduling (SPS). A gNB mayassign a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) for a wireless devicealong with GF configuration parameters in the RRC signaling. With theassigned RNTI, wireless device may monitor the PDCCH to receive the L1activation signaling masked by the RNTI.

The MCS may be indicated by the wireless device within the grant-freedata. In order to avoid the blind decoding of MCS indication, thelimited number of MCS levels may be pre-configured by a gNB, e.g., Kbits may be used to indicate MCS of grant-free data, where K may be assmall as possible (or any number as appropriate). The number of resourceelements (REs) used to transmit MCS indication in a resource group maybe statically and/or dynamically configured. In GF operation, there maybe one common MCS predefined for all wireless devices. In this case,there may be a trade-off between a spectrum efficiency and decodingreliability, e.g., the spectrum efficiency may be reduced if a low levelof MCS is used while the data transmission reliability gets higher. NRmay predefine a mapping rule between multiple time/frequency resourcesfor UL grant-free transmission and MCSs. A wireless device may select anappropriate MCS according to a DL measurement and associatedtime/frequency resources to transmit UL data. In this way, a wirelessdevice may choose a MCS based on the channel status and increase theresource utilization.

When a wireless device is configured with a GF UL transmission, the GFUL transmission may be activated in different ways, e.g., via RRCsignaling and/or via L1 activation signaling. The need for L1 activationsignaling may depend on actual service types, and the dynamic activation(e.g., activation via L1 signaling) may not be supported in NR or may beconfigurable based on service and traffic considerations. A gNB maydetermine whether to configure a wireless device with or without L1activation signaling. The configuration of a wireless device may bedetermined based on, for example, traffic pattern, latency requirements,and/or other possible aspects. With L1 activation signaling, a wirelessdevice may be able to transmit data with the configured time frequencyradio resource after receiving L1 activation signaling from the gNB. Ifthe L1 activation is not configured, a wireless device may start a ULtransmission with the configured GF radio resource at any moment or in acertain time interval, which may be configured by RRC signaling orpre-defined, when the configuration is completed.

RRC signaling, transmitted from a gNB to a wireless device to configurea UL GF transmission, may comprise an indicator used for indicatingwhether the activation of the UL GF transmission needs a L1 activationsignaling. If the indicator indicates a need of L1 activation signaling,the wireless device may wait for a L1 activation signaling and activatethe configured UL GF transmission, e.g., in response to receiving the L1activation signaling. When the L1 signaling is used, gNB may need toknow whether the wireless device correctly receives it. The wirelessdevice may transmit an acknowledgement in response to the L1 signalingfrom the gNB.

If the indicator indicates no need of L1 activation signaling, the UL GFtransmission may be activated, e.g., in response to the RRC signalingconfiguring the GF UL transmission. For the activation of GF ULtransmissions without the L1 activation signaling, the wireless devicemay not determine when to start the GF UL transmission. The gNB and thewireless device may predefine the start timing based on the subframe,slot, or mini-slot where the wireless device received the RRC signalingfor the GF UL transmission configuration. The RRC configuration maycomprise one or more parameters indicating the start timing in terms ofa subframe, slot, and/or mini-slot.

The RRC signaling may not include an indicator (e.g., a dedicated flagor other data element) indicating whether a L1 activation signalingshall be utilized. A wireless device may determine whether theconfigured GF transmission is activated by RRC or L1 signaling based ona format of RRC configuration. For a GF UL transmission without L1activation signaling, the RRC signaling for configuring and activatingthe GF UL transmission may comprise one or more parameters necessary forthe UL GF transmission. For a GF UL transmission requiring the L1activation signaling, a RRC signaling may comprise a different set ofparameters. In this case, the absence of one or more parameters in theRRC signaling may be an implicit indicator for a wireless device toactivate the GF UL transmission via L1 activation signaling.

The L1 activation signaling may comprise one or more parametersindicating one or more of GF configuration (e.g., start timing of GF ULtransmission, GF time and frequency radio resources), DMRS parameters, amodulation and coding scheme (MCS), a transport block size (TBS), numberof repetitions K, a hopping pattern, and/or power control parameters. Adownlink control information (DCI) format used for the activation of theGF UL transmission may comprise one or more fields indicating a MCS forthe GF UL transmission. In this case, the GF UL transmission requiringthe L1 activation signaling may be configured with a RRC signaling thatmay not comprise one or more parameters indicating the MCS for the GF ULtransmission. The MCS information may be carried by a L1 signaling whichactivate the GF UL transmission. If a wireless device receives a RRCsignaling comprising a MCS for a GF UL transmission, the wireless devicemay activate the GF UL transmission in response to the RRC signalingwithout waiting for a L1 signaling.

The L1 activation signaling may be configured to control networkresource load and utilization. For a delay sensitive service, theadditional activation signaling may cause additional delay and may leadto potential service interruption or unavailability for the period ofapplying and requesting the activation. A gNB may configure the wirelessdevice with a GF UL transmission such that the GF UL transmission isactivated in response to the RRC signaling comprising a GF radioresource configuration and transmission parameters.

If the GF radio resource is over-allocated, there may be a waste ofradio resources when few wireless devices are present. In this case, L1signaling may be used to reconfigure the GF UL radio resource or one ormore GF transmission parameters. By allowing L1 signaling-basedreconfiguration, wireless devices may periodically monitor downlinkcontrol channel(s) to detect the L1 signaling, scrambled by a RNTI, thatmay indicate whether the configured GF radio resources or parameters arechanged. This may increase the power consumption of wireless device, andthe periodicity to check the downlink control signaling may beconfigurable. If a radio resource utilization is important, theperiodicity may be configured to be short (such as every 1 minute orevery radio frame), although any period may be chosen. If the powerconsumption is important, the periodicity may be configured to be long(such as every hour), although any period may be chosen. The periodicityto check downlink control signaling may be allowed to be separated fromthe periodicity of GF UL transmission, e.g., in order to shorten thelatency. For example, the periodicity of GF radio resource may be lessthan 1 ms but the periodicity to check downlink control signaling may be1 minute or 1 hour. For deactivating the activated GF operation, L1deactivation signaling may be used for all services in order to releaseresources as fast as possible.

In NR, a time alignment timer (TAT) of a timing advance group (TAG)associated with a cell may expire when a wireless device configured witha GF UL transmission is in the cell. When the TAT expires, the wirelessdevice may release the GF configuration associated with the GF ULtransmission. If the wireless device is configured with one or more GFUL transmissions on other serving cells belonging to the same TAG, thewireless device may release one or more GF configurations associatedwith the other serving cells in response to the expiry of the TAT of theTAG. A gNB may reconfigure the wireless device with a GF UL transmissionon the cell when the wireless device receives a timing advance command(TAC) MAC control element (CE) or a TAC in a random access responsemessage for the cell.

Grant-free uplink transmission may be activated, by a wireless device,after or in response to receiving a RRC message. The RRC message mayconfigure the grant-free uplink transmission. If an SCell is notactivated, the wireless device may not be able to activate grant-freeuplink transmissions via the SCell, and the wireless device may not beable to use the grant-free uplink transmission. A base station maytransmit, and the wireless device may receive, a medium access control(MAC) control element (CE) to activate the SCell, and the wirelessdevice may activate radio resources associated with grant-free uplinktransmissions via the SCell. Additionally or alternatively, the basestation may transmit (and the wireless device may receive) an activationmessage, via a RRC message or via downlink control information or via anindicator in any other message, to activate radio resources associatedwith grant-free uplink transmissions via the SCell.

FIG. 15 is an example of an activation of GF UL transmission via RRCrelease and re-configuration when a time alignment timer expires. A basestation may transmit one or more messages comprising parametersindicating one or more radio resources. With respect to FIG. 15, a basestation (e.g., a gNB) may transmit a GF configuration, via a RRCmessage, to a wireless device to activate the one or more radioresources. The one or more resources may be for a PCell or an SCell. Thewireless device may execute an activation of radio resources indicatedby the GF configuration for GF UL transmission, e.g., after or inresponse to the RRC message. Prior to receiving the GF configuration,the wireless device may not be able to use the radio resources for GF ULtransmission. If a timer alignment timer expires, the wireless devicemay release the radio resources associated with the RRC GF configurationand the wireless device may not be able to transmit uplink transmissionsvia the radio resources associated with the RRC GF configuration. Ifthere is no valid time alignment timer, the gNB may transmit a TAC,e.g., via MAC CE or RAR, to start a time alignment timer (or restart anexpired time alignment timer). If the time alignment timer starts (orrestarts), and the time alignment timer has not expired, the basestation (e.g., gNB) may transmit a GF configuration, e.g., via a RRCmessage, to the wireless device, and the wireless device may activatethe radio resources indicated by the received GF configuration asdescribed above. After a time alignment timer expires, the wirelessdevice may be able to use the released radio resources for the GF ULtransmission, without initiating a random access procedure, by:receiving the TAC to restart the time alignment timer, and receiving aGF configuration via a RRC message to reactivate the radio resources. Bynot having to initiate a random access procedure to reactivate releasedradio resources, latency may be reduced.

Releasing and reconfiguring of the GF configuration may utilize one ormore RRC signals that may result in increasing a signaling overhead andlatency. In NR, a wireless device may not release a GF configurationconfigured on a cell when a TAT of a TAG associated with the cellexpires. In this case, instead of releasing the GF configuration, thewireless device may keep the GF configuration and activate a GF ULtransmission associated with the GF configuration in response to a TATassociated with the cell being started. There may be different ways toactivate the GF configuration without release and reconfiguration of theGF configuration. When a TAT associated with a cell configured with a GFconfiguration for a wireless device expires, the wireless device mayclear one or more scheduled GF UL transmissions without releasing the GFconfiguration configured by one or more RRC signals. A gNB may transmita L1 signaling message to activate the configured GF UL transmission,e.g., after or in response to a TAT associated with the cell beingupdated via RAR and/or MAC CE. For a GF UL transmission activated by aRRC signaling, gNB may transmit a L1 signaling to activate the GF ULtransmission.

FIG. 16 is an example of an activation of GF UL transmission via L1activation signalling without a RRC release when a time alignment timerexpires. A base station may transmit one or more messages comprisingparameters indicating one or more radio resources. With respect to FIG.16, a base station (e.g., a gNB) may transmit a GF configuration, e.g.,via a RRC message, to a wireless device to activate the one or moreradio resources. The one or more resources may be for a PCell or anSCell. The wireless device may execute an activation of radio resourcesfor GF UL transmission, e.g., after or in response to the RRC message.If a timer alignment timer expires, the wireless device may release theradio resources associated with the GF UL configuration. If there is novalid time alignment timer, the gNB may transmit a TAC, e.g., via MAC CEor RAR, to start a time alignment timer (or restart an expired timealignment timer). If the time alignment timer starts (or restarts), andthe time alignment timer has not expired, the base station (e.g., gNB)may transmit a GF configuration, e.g., via L1 activation signaling, tothe wireless device, and the wireless device may activate the radioresources, e.g., via the L1 signaling. After a time alignment timerexpires, the wireless device may be able to use the released radioresources for the GF UL transmission, without initiating a random accessprocedure, by: receiving the TAC to restart the time alignment timer,and receiving L1 activation signaling to reactivate the radio resources.By not having to initiate a random access procedure to reactivatereleased radio resources, latency may be reduced

A wireless device may be configured with multiple GF configurations. AgNB may assign an index to a GF UL configuration along with the GFconfiguration. The L1 signaling may comprise one or more parametersindicating an index of a GF UL configuration. If the GF UL configurationis activated via L1 signaling, the L1 signaling may comprise the indexto indicate an activation of the GF UL configuration associated with theindex. For the L1 activation signaling, a DCI format that comprises oneor more parameters used for indicating the index may be used in NR. If awireless device receives a L1 activation signaling comprising an index,the wireless device may activate the GF UL transmission associated withthe GF configuration indicated by the index. A gNB may assign a logicalchannel ID (LCID) to the service and configure the wireless device witha GF configuration, along with the assigned LCID, to restrict the use ofthe GF configuration to the service indicated by the LCID. A gNB maytransmit an activation signaling that comprises one or more LCIDsassociated with the GF UL configuration. For the activation signaling, aMAC CE that comprises one or more parameters used for indicating one ormore LCID of a GF UL configuration may be used in NR. If a wirelessdevice receives an activation signaling comprising one or more LCIDs,the wireless device may activate the GF UL transmission associated withone or more GF configurations indicated by the one or more LCIDs. A GFUL transmission may be activated on a subframe, slot, and/or mini-slot,if a wireless device receives an activation signaling, with a timeoffset. The time offset may be pre-defined or configured, e.g., in theRRC signaling or in the activation signaling.

If a first TAT associated with a cell expires, and if a wireless deviceis configured with a GF configuration, the wireless device may clear oneor more scheduled GF UL transmissions without releasing the GFconfiguration. The GF configuration may be configured, e.g., by one ormore RRC signals. A second TAT associated with the cell may start, andthe wireless device may be configured for a GF UL transmission via thecell using one or more messages, e.g., comprising a TAC associated withthe second TAT, to activate the GF UL transmission. The wireless devicemay receive the second TAC, e.g., via a TAC MAC CE and/or a randomaccess response message. In this case, an activation of GF ULtransmission may not need a L1 signaling for reactivation nor RRCsignaling for reconfiguration. A wireless device may have a TATconfigured for a TAG associated with a cell if the wireless device isconfigured with a GF UL transmission. If the TAT expires, the wirelessdevice may clear the activated GF UL transmission without releasing theGF RRC configuration associated with the GF UL transmission. Thewireless device may reactivate the configured GF UL transmissionassociated with the GF RRC configuration, e.g., after or in response toreceiving a TAC associated with the TAT of the cell.

FIG. 17 is an example of an activation of GF UL transmission, e.g., viaa TAT without a RRC release, a RRC re-configuration, or L1 activationsignaling if a time alignment timer expires. A base station may transmitone or more messages comprising parameters indicating one or more radioresources. With respect to FIG. 17, a base station (e.g., a gNB) maytransmit a GF configuration, e.g., via a RRC message, to a wirelessdevice to activate the one or more radio resources. The one or moreresources may be for a PCell or an SCell. The wireless device mayexecute an activation of radio resources for GF UL transmission, e.g.,via the RRC message. If a timer alignment timer expires, the wirelessdevice may deactivate, clear, and/or release the radio resourcesassociated with the GF UL configuration, and the wireless device may notbe able to transmit uplink transmissions via the radio resourcesassociated with the RRC GF configuration. If there is no valid timealignment timer, the gNB may transmit a TAC, e.g., via MAC CE or RAR, tostart (or restart) a time alignment timer. If the time alignment timerstarts (or restarts), and the time alignment timer has not expired, thewireless device may activate the radio resources, e.g., after or inresponse to the staring (or restarting) of the time alignment timer.After a time alignment timer expires, the wireless device may be able touse the released radio resources for the GF UL transmission, withoutinitiating a random access procedure, by: receiving the TAC to restartthe time alignment timer. By not having to initiate a random accessprocedure to reactivate released radio resources, latency may bereduced.

A wireless device may be configured with multiple GF UL transmissions onmultiple serving cells associated with a same TAG. In this case, if theTAT associated with the TAG expires, the wireless device may clear theactivated multiple GF UL transmissions associated with the serving cellsin the TAG.

A TAT associated with a TAG may not be running if a wireless device isconfigured with one or more GF UL transmissions for one or more servingcells belonging to the TAG. In this case, if the wireless devicereceives a TAC for the TAG, the one or more GF UL transmission for oneor more serving cells belonging to the TAG may be activated, e.g., afteror in response to the receiving the TAC.

A wireless device may receive, from a base station (e.g. gNB), one ormore messages comprising a plurality of parameters for configuring a GFUL transmission for a cell belonging to a first time alignment group.The first time alignment group may be configured with a first timealignment timer (TAT). The wireless device may activate the GF ULtransmission, e.g., after or in response to the receiving the one ormore messages. The wireless device may clear the activated GF ULtransmission, e.g., after or in response to an expiry of the first TAT.The wireless device may receive, from the base station via a downlinkcontrol channel, a downlink channel information comprising one or moreparameters activating the GF UL transmission. The wireless device mayactivate the GF UL transmission, e.g., after or in response to thereceiving the downlink channel information.

A wireless device may receive, from a base station, one or more messagescomprising a plurality of parameters for configuring a GF ULtransmission for a cell belonging to a first time alignment group (TAG).The first time alignment group may be configured with a first timealignment timer (TAT). The wireless device may activate the GF ULtransmission, e.g., after or in response to the receiving the one ormore messages. The wireless device may clear the activated GF ULtransmission, e.g., after or in response to an expiry of the first TAT.The wireless device may receive, from the base station, one or moremessages comprising a timing advance command (TAC) for a second TAGassociated with the cell. The wireless device may activate the GF ULtransmission, e.g., after or in response to receiving the TAC. The firstTAG and the second TAG may be the same. The wireless device may receivethe TAC in a timing advance command MAC control element associated withthe second TAG. The wireless device may receive the TAC in a randomaccess response message associated with the second TAG.

A wireless device may receive, from a base station, one or more messagescomprising a plurality of parameters for configuring a GF ULtransmission for a cell belonging to a first time alignment group (TAG)configured with a first time alignment timer (TAT). The wireless devicemay receive, from the base station via a downlink control channel, adownlink channel information comprising one or more parametersactivating the GF UL transmission. The wireless device may activate theGF UL transmission, e.g., after or in response to the receiving thedownlink channel information. The wireless device may clear theactivated GF UL transmission, e.g., after or in response to an expiry ofthe first TAT. The wireless device may receive, from the base station,one or more messages comprising a timing advance command (TAC) for asecond TAG associated with the cell. The wireless device may activatethe GF UL transmission, e.g., after or in response to receiving the TAC.For example, the first TAG and the second TAG may be the same. Thewireless device may receive the TAC in a timing advance command MACcontrol element associated with the second TAG. The wireless device mayreceive the TAC in a random access response message associated with thesecond TAG.

Secondary cells (SCells) may be supported in NR, particularly when avariety of additional resources (such as bandwidth, latency, frequencyspectrum, etc.) are needed to provide the requested level of service. NRmay support a GF UL transmission on a secondary cell. For example, aprimary cell may be configured for serving an eMBB service, and a SCellmay be configured for serving mMTC or URLLC service for which a GF ULtransmission may be configured. A GF UL transmission via a secondarycell may be configured by one or more RRC messages comprising aplurality of GF configuration parameters. A wireless device may receivethe one or more RRC messages from a base station via a primary cell. Theplurality of GF configuration parameters may indicate one or more of GFtime and frequency radio resources, DMRS parameters, a modulation andcoding scheme (MCS), a transport block size (TBS), number of repetitionsK, a hopping pattern, an indicator indicating whether the GF ULtransmission is activated via RRC signaling, power control parameters,or a RNTI.

For a GF UL transmission on a SCell, if the SCell is not activated, theGF UL transmission may not be activated at least until the SCell isactivated. In this case, a message transmitted from a base station toactivate a configured SCell may activate the configured GF ULtransmission. If a wireless device configured with a SCell receives anactivation/deactivation MAC control element (CE) in this TTI, thewireless device may, in the TTI, activate the SCell. If the wirelessdevice is configured with a GF UL transmission on the SCell, thewireless device may activate the configured GF UL transmission inresponse to activating the SCell. If a wireless device receives one ormore RRC messages configuring a GF UL transmission via an activatedSCell, the wireless device may activate the GF UL transmission inresponse to receiving the one or more RRC messages.

FIG. 18 is an example of an activation of a secondary cell. A basestation may transmit one or more messages comprising parametersindicating one or more radio resources. With respect to FIG. 18, a basestation (e.g., gNB) may transmit GF configurations for a SCell to awireless device, e.g., if a SCell is not activated. The wireless devicemay configure radio resources for the non-activated radio resourcesassociated with GF UL transmission on a SCell. The gNB may transmit asecondary cell activation message to the wireless device and, if theSCell is activated, the wireless device may activate the configuredradio resources. By using a MAC CE to activate an SCell, a base stationmay activate an SCell with reduced signaling overhead and reducedlatency.

There may be a case that the activation/deactivation MAC CE may notactivate a configured GF UL transmission on a SCell. One or more RRCmessages configuring a GF UL transmission may comprise an indicatorindicating that the activation of the configured GF UL transmissionrequires L1 signaling. If a wireless device receives such an indicator,the wireless device may not activate a configured GF UL transmission,e.g., after or in response to receiving an activation/deactivation MACCE. The wireless device may start to monitor a PDCCH with a RNTI for theSCell, e.g., after or in response to receiving theactivation/deactivation MAC CE. The RNTI may be assigned to the wirelessdevice for monitoring a PDCCH order for a GF UL transmission and may betransmitted, e.g., via a RRC signaling configuring the GF ULtransmission. The wireless device may activate the GF UL transmission,e.g., based on the wireless device receiving the L1 signaling via themonitoring PDCCH.

L1 signaling may be used to activate a configured GF UL transmissionwithout an indicator of whether to activate a GF UL transmission via L1signaling. For example, a wireless device may receive one or more RRCmessages configuring a GF UL transmission on an activated SCell, whereinthe one or more RRC messages may not comprise an indicator of whether toactivate a GF UL transmission via L1 signaling. In this case, theactivation of a GF UL transmission on the activated SCell may be done byL1 signaling. The wireless device may monitor a PDCCH for the activatedSCell to detect a L1 signaling activating the GF UL transmission andactivate the GF UL transmission, e.g., after or in response to receivingthe L1 signaling transmitted for the activation of the GF ULtransmission.

FIG. 19 shows an example process of monitoring uplink radio resourcesperformed by and/or using a base station (e.g., a gNB). The process 1900comprises transmitting (1910) a RRC message. The RRC message maycomprise GF configuration parameters. The GF configuration parametersmay be for a SCell. The base station may activate an SCell based on,e.g., a determination that the wireless requires additional capacity(e.g., more than the capacity provided by a PCell). If the SCell isactivated (1912), uplink radio resources associated with the configuredGF UL transmission of the SCell may be monitored (1918). For example,the base station may periodically monitor (1918) to determine whetherthe wireless device has transmitted data via uplink radio resourcesassociated with the configured grant-free uplink transmission. The basestation may continue periodically monitoring (1918) until it transmits asecond message comprising a release of the GF UL radio resources and/ora deactivation of the SCell. If the SCell is not activated (1912), adetermination may be made if the SCell needs to be activated (1914). Forexample, if the base station determines the wireless device requiresadditional bandwidth and/or capacity (e.g., if the wireless device isstreaming data the wireless device may require the base station to add acarrier to support the wireless device by activating the SCell). If theSCell needs to be activated (1914), a secondary cell activation messagedmay be transmitted (1916) and radio resources monitored (1918). If theSCell does not need to be activated (1914), the process may wait untilthe SCell needs to be activated and/or the process may end. For example,the base station may end the process by transmitting an RRC releasemessage.

FIG. 20 shows an example process of activating uplink radio resourcesperformed by and/or using a wireless device. The process 2000 comprisesreceiving (2010) a RRC message. The RRC message may comprise GFconfiguration parameters and the GF configuration parameters may be fora SCell. The wireless may receive from a base station a messageindicating activation of the SCell. If the SCell is activated (2012), ULradio resources for the configured GF UL transmission may be activated(2016) and one or more data packets may be transmitted (2018) via theactivated uplink radio resources. For example, the wireless device mayactivate the UL radio resources indicated in the RRC message comprisingthe GF configuration parameters. If the SCell is not activated (2012), asecondary cell activation message may be received (2014). If thesecondary cell activation message is received (2014), the SCell may beactivated and the UL radio resources may be activated (2016). After theSCell is activated and the UL radio resources are activated, datapackets may be transmitted (2018). If the secondary cell activationmessage is not received (2014), the wireless device may wait until themessage is received (2014) and/or the process may end. For example, ifthe wireless device receives a deactivation of the SCell or if thewireless device receives an RRC release message of the GF configurationparameters, the process may end. Additionally or alternatively, thewireless device may stop the step of transmitting data packets via theactivated uplink radio resources (2018) if the wireless device receivesa deactivation of the SCell or if the wireless device receives an RRCrelease message of the GF configuration parameters.

A base station (e.g. a gNB) and/or a wireless device may perform anycombination of a step and/or a complementary step of one or more of thesteps described herein. Any step performed by a gNB may be performed byany base station. A core network device, or any other device, mayperform any combination of a step, or a complementary step, of one ormore of the above steps. Some or all of these steps may be performed,and the order of these steps may be adjusted. Additional steps may alsobe performed. Any base station described herein may be a current basestation, a serving base station, a source base station, a target basestation, or any other base station.

A wireless device may receive from a base station, and a base stationmay transmit to a wireless device, at least one radio resource controlmessage comprising one or more grant-free uplink configurationparameters for a cell. The cell may comprise a secondary cell. The oneor more configuration parameters may comprise and/or indicate one ormore of: radio resources associated with the cell, demodulationreference signal configuration parameters, a radio network temporaryidentifier, a modulation and coding scheme, a number of repeatedtransmissions of data packets, an indication that radio resourcesassociated with the cell are activated (which may be based on thereceiving the receiving the at least one radio resource control messageand/or based on receiving a control signal from the base station), or apreamble identifier. The preamble identifier may comprise a Zadoff-Chusequence. The wireless device may receive, and the base station maytransmit, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) indicatingan activation of the cell. The wireless device may activate, based onthe receiving the MAC CE, the cell. The wireless device may activate theindicated radio resources associated with the cell, e.g., after or inresponse to activating the cell. The wireless device may receive, via adownlink control channel, a control signal. The wireless device mayactivate, based on the receiving the control signal, the radio resourcesassociated with the cell. The control signal may be scrambled by a radionetwork temporary identifier. The wireless device may activate the cellby reactivating a deactivated cell. The wireless device may transmit,based on receiving the control signal, an acknowledgement to the basestation. The wireless device may transmit to the base station, and thebase station may receive from the wireless device, via the indicatedradio resources, one or more data packets. The wireless device maytransmit the one or more data packets using a modulation and codingscheme indicated by the one or more configuration parameters. Thewireless device may receive, and the base station may send, a responsemessage associated with the one or more data packets. The responsemessage may comprise a downlink control information. A system maycomprise the wireless device and the base station.

A wireless device may activate radio resources associated with a cellbased on receiving, from a base station, at least one radio resourcecontrol message. The cell may comprise a secondary cell. The wirelessdevice may determine an expiry of a time alignment timer of a cell groupcomprising the cell. The wireless device may clear, based on the expiryof the time alignment timer, the radio resources. The wireless devicemay receive, and the base station may transmit, a timing advance commandof the cell group. The wireless device may activate, based on thereceiving the timing advance command, the radio resources. The wirelessdevice may transmit, based on the timing advance command and via theradio resources, one or more data packets to the base station. A systemmay comprise the wireless device and the base station.

FIG. 21 shows general hardware elements that may be used to implementany of the various computing devices discussed herein, including, e.g.,the base station 401, the wireless device 406, or any other basestation, wireless device, or computing device described herein. Thecomputing device 2100 may include one or more processors 2101, which mayexecute instructions stored in the random access memory (RAM) 2103, theremovable media 2104 (such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive,compact disk (CD) or digital versatile disk (DVD), or floppy diskdrive), or any other desired storage medium. Instructions may also bestored in an attached (or internal) hard drive 2105. The computingdevice 2100 may also include a security processor (not shown), which mayexecute instructions of one or more computer programs to monitor theprocesses executing on the processor 2101 and any process that requestsaccess to any hardware and/or software components of the computingdevice 2100 (e.g., ROM 2102, RAM 2103, the removable media 2104, thehard drive 2105, the device controller 2107, a network interface 2109, aGPS 2111, a Bluetooth interface 212, a WiFi interface 2113, etc.). Thecomputing device 2100 may include one or more output devices, such asthe display 2106 (e.g., a screen, a display device, a monitor, atelevision, etc.), and may include one or more output device controllers2107, such as a video processor. There may also be one or more userinput devices 2108, such as a remote control, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, microphone, etc. The computing device 2100 may also include oneor more network interfaces, such as a network interface 2109, which maybe a wired interface, a wireless interface, or a combination of the two.The network interface 2109 may provide an interface for the computingdevice 2100 to communicate with a network 2110 (e.g., a RAN, or anyother network). The network interface 2109 may include a modem (e.g., acable modem), and the external network 2110 may include communicationlinks, an external network, an in-home network, a provider's wireless,coaxial, fiber, or hybrid fiber/coaxial distribution system (e.g., aDOCSIS network), or any other desired network. Additionally, thecomputing device 2100 may include a location-detecting device, such as aglobal positioning system (GPS) microprocessor 2111, which may beconfigured to receive and process global positioning signals anddetermine, with possible assistance from an external server and antenna,a geographic position of the computing device 2100.

The example in FIG. 21 is a hardware configuration, although thecomponents shown may be implemented as software as well. Modificationsmay be made to add, remove, combine, divide, etc. components of thecomputing device 2100 as desired. Additionally, the components may beimplemented using basic computing devices and components, and the samecomponents (e.g., processor 2101, ROM storage 2102, display 2106, etc.)may be used to implement any of the other computing devices andcomponents described herein. For example, the various componentsdescribed herein may be implemented using computing devices havingcomponents such as a processor executing computer-executableinstructions stored on a computer-readable medium, as shown in FIG. 21.Some or all of the entities described herein may be software based, andmay co-exist in a common physical platform (e.g., a requesting entitymay be a separate software process and program from a dependent entity,both of which may be executed as software on a common computing device).

One or more features of the disclosure may be implemented in acomputer-usable data and/or computer-executable instructions, such as inone or more program modules, executed by one or more computers or otherdevices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks orimplement particular abstract data types when executed by a processor ina computer or other data processing device. The computer executableinstructions may be stored on one or more computer readable media suchas a hard disk, optical disk, removable storage media, solid statememory, RAM, etc. The functionality of the program modules may becombined or distributed as desired. The functionality may be implementedin whole or in part in firmware or hardware equivalents such asintegrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and thelike. Particular data structures may be used to more effectivelyimplement one or more features of the disclosure, and such datastructures are contemplated within the scope of computer executableinstructions and computer-usable data described herein.

Many of the elements in examples may be implemented as modules. A modulemay be an isolatable element that performs a defined function and has adefined interface to other elements. The modules may be implemented inhardware, software in combination with hardware, firmware, wetware(i.e., hardware with a biological element) or a combination thereof, allof which may be behaviorally equivalent. For example, modules may beimplemented as a software routine written in a computer languageconfigured to be executed by a hardware machine (such as C, C++,Fortran, Java, Basic, Matlab or the like) or a modeling/simulationprogram such as Simulink, Stateflow, GNU Octave, or LabVIEWMathScript.Additionally or alternatively, it may be possible to implement modulesusing physical hardware that incorporates discrete or programmableanalog, digital and/or quantum hardware. Examples of programmablehardware may comprise: computers, microcontrollers, microprocessors,application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs); field programmablegate arrays (FPGAs); and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs).Computers, microcontrollers, and microprocessors may be programmed usinglanguages such as assembly, C, C++ or the like. FPGAs, ASICs, and CPLDsmay be programmed using hardware description languages (HDL), such asVHSIC hardware description language (VHDL) or Verilog, which mayconfigure connections between internal hardware modules with lesserfunctionality on a programmable device. The above mentioned technologiesmay be used in combination to achieve the result of a functional module.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods may perform operations ofmulti-carrier communications described herein. Additionally oralternatively, a non-transitory tangible computer readable media maycomprise instructions executable by one or more processors configured tocause operations of multi-carrier communications described herein. Anarticle of manufacture may comprise a non-transitory tangible computerreadable machine-accessible medium having instructions encoded thereonfor enabling programmable hardware to cause a device (e.g., a wirelessdevice, wireless communicator, a UE, a base station, and the like) toenable operation of multi-carrier communications described herein. Thedevice, or one or more devices such as in a system, may include one ormore processors, memory, interfaces, and/or the like. Other examples maycomprise communication networks comprising devices such as basestations, wireless devices or user equipment (UE), servers, switches,antennas, and/or the like. Any device (e.g., a wireless device, a basestation, or any other device) or combination of devices may be used toperform any combination of one or more of steps described herein,including, e.g., any complementary step or steps of one or more of theabove steps.

Although examples are described above, features and/or steps of thoseexamples may be combined, divided, omitted, rearranged, revised, and/oraugmented in any desired manner. Various alterations, modifications, andimprovements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Suchalterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part ofthis description, though not expressly stated herein, and are intendedto be within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, theforegoing description is by way of example only, and is not limiting.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless device comprising: one or moreprocessors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by theone or more processors, cause the wireless device to: receive, from abase station, at least one radio resource control message comprising oneor more configuration parameters of a cell, wherein the one or moreconfiguration parameters indicate grant-free uplink radio resourcesassociated with the cell; receive, after receiving the at least oneradio resource control message, a medium access control (MAC) controlelement (CE) indicating an activation of the cell; based on receivingthe MAC CE, activate the cell; based on receiving the MAC CE, activatethe grant-free uplink radio resources; and send, via the grant-freeuplink radio resources, one or more data packets.
 2. The wireless deviceof claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the wireless device to send the one or more datapackets to the base station.
 3. The wireless device of claim 1, whereinthe cell comprises a secondary cell.
 4. The wireless device of claim 1,wherein the one or more configuration parameters further indicate atleast one of: demodulation reference signal configuration parameters; aradio network temporary identifier; or a preamble identifier.
 5. Thewireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed bythe one or more processors, cause the wireless device to send the one ormore data packets according to a modulation and coding scheme, whereinthe one or more configuration parameters comprise the modulation andcoding scheme.
 6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein theinstructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause thewireless device to send, based on a quantity of permitted repeattransmissions, the one or more data packets, wherein the one or moreconfiguration parameters comprise the quantity of permitted repeattransmissions for the one or more data packets.
 7. The wireless deviceof claim 1, wherein the one or more configuration parameters furthercomprise at least one of: an indication that the grant-free uplink radioresources associated with the cell are activated based on receiving theat least one radio resource control message; or an indication that thegrant-free uplink radio resources associated with the cell are activatedbased on receiving a control signal from the base station.
 8. Thewireless device of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed bythe one or more processors, cause the wireless device to: receive, via adownlink control channel, the control signal; and activate thegrant-free uplink radio resources by activating the grant-free uplinkradio resources based on receiving the control signal.
 9. The wirelessdevice of claim 7, wherein the control signal is scrambled by a radionetwork temporary identifier.
 10. The wireless device of claim 7,wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors,cause the wireless device to send, based on receiving the controlsignal, an acknowledgement.
 11. The wireless device of claim 1, whereinthe instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause thewireless device to receive a response message associated with the one ormore data packets, wherein the response message comprises downlinkcontrol information.
 12. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein theinstructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause thewireless device to: determine an expiry of a time alignment timer of acell group comprising the cell; clear, based on the expiry of the timealignment timer, the grant-free uplink radio resources; receive a timingadvance command associated with the cell group; re-activate, based onreceiving the timing advance command, the grant-free uplink radioresources; and send, via the re-activated grant-free uplink radioresources, one or more second data packets.
 13. A wireless devicecomprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructionsthat, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wirelessdevice to: receive, from a base station, at least one radio resourcecontrol message comprising one or more configuration parameters of acell, wherein the one or more configuration parameters indicategrant-free uplink radio resources associated with the cell; activate,based on receiving the at least one radio resource control message, thegrant-free uplink radio resources; determine an expiry of a timealignment timer of a cell group comprising the cell; clear, based on theexpiry of the time alignment timer, the grant-free uplink radioresources; receive a timing advance command associated with the cellgroup; re-activate, based on receiving the timing advance command, thegrant-free uplink radio resources; and send, via the re-activatedgrant-free uplink radio resources, one or more data packets.
 14. Thewireless device of claim 13, wherein the one or more configurationparameters further indicate at least one of: demodulation referencesignal configuration parameters; a radio network temporary identifier;or a preamble identifier.
 15. The wireless device of claim 13, whereinthe instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause thewireless device to send the one or more data packets according to amodulation and coding scheme, wherein the one or more configurationparameters comprise the modulation and coding scheme.
 16. The wirelessdevice of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the oneor more processors, cause the wireless device to send, based on aquantity of permitted repeat transmissions, the one or more datapackets, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprise thequantity of permitted repeat transmissions for the one or more datapackets.
 17. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the instructions,when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless deviceto receive a response message associated with the one or more datapackets, wherein the response message comprises downlink controlinformation.
 18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprisinginstructions that, when executed, configure a wireless device to:receive, from a base station, at least one radio resource controlmessage comprising one or more configuration parameters of a cell,wherein the one or more configuration parameters indicate grant-freeuplink radio resources associated with the cell; receive, afterreceiving the at least one radio resource control message, a mediumaccess control (MAC) control element (CE) indicating an activation ofthe cell; based on receiving the MAC CE, activate the cell; based onreceiving the MAC CE, activate the grant-free uplink radio resources;and send, via the grant-free uplink radio resources, one or more datapackets.
 19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18,wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the wireless deviceto send the one or more data packets to the base station.
 20. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the cellcomprises a secondary cell.
 21. The non-transitory computer-readablemedium of claim 18, wherein the one or more configuration parametersfurther indicate at least one of: demodulation reference signalconfiguration parameters; a radio network temporary identifier; or apreamble identifier.
 22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium ofclaim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure thewireless device to send the one or more data packets according to amodulation and coding scheme, wherein the one or more configurationparameters comprise the modulation and coding scheme.
 23. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein theinstructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to send,based on a quantity of permitted repeat transmissions, the one or moredata packets, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprisethe quantity of permitted repeat transmissions for the one or more datapackets.
 24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18,wherein the one or more configuration parameters further comprise atleast one of: an indication that the grant-free uplink radio resourcesassociated with the cell are activated based on receiving the at leastone radio resource control message; or an indication that the grant-freeuplink radio resources associated with the cell are activated based onreceiving a control signal from the base station.
 25. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions, whenexecuted, configure the wireless device to: receive, via a downlinkcontrol channel, the control signal; and activate the grant-free uplinkradio resources by activating the grant-free uplink radio resourcesbased on receiving the control signal.
 26. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the control signal isscrambled by a radio network temporary identifier.
 27. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein theinstructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to send,based on receiving the control signal, an acknowledgement.
 28. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein theinstructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to receive aresponse message associated with the one or more data packets, whereinthe response message comprises downlink control information.
 29. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein theinstructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to: determinean expiry of a time alignment timer of a cell group comprising the cell;clear, based on the expiry of the time alignment timer, the grant-freeuplink radio resources; receive a timing advance command associated withthe cell group; re-activate, based on receiving the timing advancecommand, the grant-free uplink radio resources; and send, via there-activated grant-free uplink radio resources, one or more second datapackets.
 30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprisinginstructions that, when executed, configure a wireless device to:receive, from a base station, at least one radio resource controlmessage comprising one or more configuration parameters of a cell,wherein the one or more configuration parameters indicate grant-freeuplink radio resources associated with the cell; activate, based onreceiving the at least one radio resource control message, thegrant-free uplink radio resources; determine an expiry of a timealignment timer of a cell group comprising the cell; clear, based on theexpiry of the time alignment timer, the grant-free uplink radioresources; receive a timing advance command associated with the cellgroup; re-activate, based on receiving the timing advance command, thegrant-free uplink radio resources; and send, via the re-activatedgrant-free uplink radio resources, one or more data packets.
 31. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the one ormore configuration parameters further indicate at least one of:demodulation reference signal configuration parameters; a radio networktemporary identifier; or a preamble identifier.
 32. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the instructions, whenexecuted, configure the wireless device to send the one or more datapackets according to a modulation and coding scheme, wherein the one ormore configuration parameters comprise the modulation and coding scheme.33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein theinstructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to send,based on a quantity of permitted repeat transmissions, the one or moredata packets, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprisethe quantity of permitted repeat transmissions for the one or more datapackets.
 34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30,wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the wireless deviceto receive a response message associated with the one or more datapackets, wherein the response message comprises downlink controlinformation.
 35. A system comprising: a wireless device; and a basestation; wherein the wireless device is configured to: receive, from thebase station, at least one radio resource control message comprising oneor more configuration parameters of a cell, wherein the one or moreconfiguration parameters indicate grant-free uplink radio resourcesassociated with the cell; receive, after receiving the at least oneradio resource control message, a medium access control (MAC) controlelement (CE) indicating an activation of the cell; based on receivingthe MAC CE, activate the cell; based on receiving the MAC CE, activatethe grant-free uplink radio resources; and send, via the grant-freeuplink radio resources, one or more data packets; wherein the basestation is configured to: send, to the wireless device, the at least oneradio resource control message comprising the one or more configurationparameters; send, after sending the at least one radio resource controlmessage, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) indicatingan activation of the cell; and receive, via the grant-free uplink radioresources, the one or more data packets.
 36. The system of claim 35,wherein the cell comprises a secondary cell.
 37. The system of claim 35,wherein the one or more configuration parameters further indicate atleast one of: demodulation reference signal configuration parameters; aradio network temporary identifier; or a preamble identifier.
 38. Thesystem of claim 35, wherein the wireless device is configured to sendthe one or more data packets according to a modulation and codingscheme, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprise themodulation and coding scheme.
 39. The system of claim 35, wherein thewireless device is configured to send, based on a quantity of permittedrepeat transmissions, the one or more data packets, wherein the one ormore configuration parameters comprise the quantity of permitted repeattransmissions for the one or more data packets.
 40. The system of claim35, wherein the one or more configuration parameters further comprise atleast one of: an indication that the grant-free uplink radio resourcesassociated with the cell are activated based on receiving the at leastone radio resource control message; or an indication that the grant-freeuplink radio resources associated with the cell are activated based onreceiving a control signal from the base station.
 41. The system ofclaim 40, wherein the wireless device is configured to: receive, via adownlink control channel, the control signal; and activate thegrant-free uplink radio resources by activating the grant-free uplinkradio resources based on receiving the control signal.
 42. The system ofclaim 40, wherein the control signal is scrambled by a radio networktemporary identifier.
 43. The system of claim 40, wherein the wirelessdevice is configured to send, based on receiving the control signal, anacknowledgement.
 44. The system of claim 35, wherein the wireless deviceis configured to receive a response message associated with the one ormore data packets, wherein the response message comprises downlinkcontrol information.
 45. The system of claim 35, wherein the wirelessdevice is configured to: determine an expiry of a time alignment timerof a cell group comprising the cell; clear, based on the expiry of thetime alignment timer, the grant-free uplink radio resources; receive atiming advance command associated with the cell group; re-activate,based on receiving the timing advance command, the grant-free uplinkradio resources; and send, via the re-activated grant-free uplink radioresources, one or more second data packets.
 46. A system comprising: awireless device; and a base station, wherein the wireless device isconfigured to: receive, from the base station, at least one radioresource control message comprising one or more configuration parametersof a cell, wherein the one or more configuration parameters indicategrant-free uplink radio resources associated with the cell; activate,based on receiving the at least one radio resource control message, thegrant-free uplink radio resources; determine an expiry of a timealignment timer of a cell group comprising the cell; clear, based on theexpiry of the time alignment timer, the grant-free uplink radioresources; re-activate, based on receiving a timing advance command, thegrant-free uplink radio resources; and send, via the re-activatedgrant-free uplink radio resources, one or more data packets; and whereinthe base station is configured to: send, to the wireless device, the atleast one radio resource control message; send, to the wireless device,the timing advance command; and receive, via the grant-free uplink radioresources, the one or more data packets.
 47. The system of claim 46,wherein the one or more configuration parameters further indicate atleast one of: demodulation reference signal configuration parameters; aradio network temporary identifier; or a preamble identifier.
 48. Thesystem of claim 46, wherein the wireless device is configured to sendthe one or more data packets according to a modulation and codingscheme, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprise themodulation and coding scheme.
 49. The system of claim 46, wherein thewireless device is configured to send, based on a quantity of permittedrepeat transmissions, the one or more data packets, wherein the one ormore configuration parameters comprise the quantity of permitted repeattransmissions for the one or more data packets.
 50. The system of claim46, wherein the wireless device is configured to receive a responsemessage associated with the one or more data packets, wherein theresponse message comprises downlink control information.